A policeman checks out seized goods at Patna City on Wednesday. Picture by Sachin

Patna, Sept. 14: Patna City has turned into a major hub of fake goods production business, the turnover of which runs into crores.

Right from cosmetics to detergents, the counterfeit business rules the underbelly of this part of the state capital, spawning and flourishing despite of several raids. Didarganj, Mansurganj, Marifganj, Paschim Darwaza and Meena Bazaar form the hub of this illegal business.

The police claim that they act on every tip-off to stem the illegal trade, but people say otherwise. Sources said the men in uniform choose to sit mum most of the time in spite of having complete information about the dens of fake products.

Earlier, officers said the proprietors of counterfeit product manufacturing units enjoyed patronage of a section of the men in uniform and politicians.

In the past six months, around six raids were conducted in the Patna City area and a large quantity of counterfeit goods were recovered. Police sources told The Telegraph that fake products had a major market in the rural belts of the state, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal and Orissa.

On April 20, the police raided Didarganj area of Patna City and recovered spurious gutkha sold by a popular brand. The cops recovered a huge quantity of sachets and machines for packaging the same.

On July 8, the police raided the Choti Bazaar area under Khajekala police station after representatives of a brand tipped them off.

The cops recovered fake substitutes of popular hair oil brands apart from fake nail polishes. Kallu and Irfan, two racketeers, are absconding. On August 17, a raid was conducted on a house behind Mogalpura police chowki under Khajekala police station and fake nail polish bottles of another popular brand were seized. An FIR was lodged against one Mohammad Amid .

On August 23, fake non-judicial stamps, postal stamps, National Savings Certificates worth Rs 54.5 crore were recovered during a raid at Daud Bigha under Agamkuan police station area. Six persons, including one Leela Devi, were arrested.

On August 25, fake nail polish bottles worth lakhs were seized from Girya Tamoli Gali under Khajekala police station. An FIR against one Sujit Kumar was lodged in this connection.

On September 13, the economic offences wing of Criminal Investigation Department raided the factory of one Murari Bagla in Terighat area under Khajekala police station and recovered fake soaps and hair oil of popular brands worth Rs 25 lakh.

The team also raided NK Chemical Works factory in Mansurganj area under Malsalami police station.

Sources said in spite of all these raids, the fake product business was a booming one. A section of the cops are allegedly involved in the racket.

“It is not possible that a local station house officer does not have an idea about a particular fake product manufacturing unit operating under the jurisdiction of his police station. Every month, money is paid and they keep quiet,” a police officer told The Telegraph.

The police gave the clichéd response. “It is very difficult to locate and identity the guilty but we are trying to act on every bit of information,” said city superintendent of police (east) Kim.