Court rejects discharge pleas of Munir Khan’s son and seven others in ‘body revival’ scam | Mumbai news
MUMBAI: A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has refused to discharge Munish Munir Khan, son of self-proclaimed doctor Munir Khan, in a multi-crore fraud case linked to the sale of a dubious medicine, ‘Body Revival.’ The court also rejected discharge applications filed by seven other accused individuals, who were allegedly involved in the fraudulent scheme led by Munir Khan.
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Munir Khan and his associates misled the public by falsely claiming that ‘Body Revival’ could cure severe ailments, including cancer, diabetes, and HIV. One of the complainants, who was undergoing treatment for an eye condition, approached Munir Khan after watching his promotional programme on television. However, after consuming ‘Body Revival,’ she lost her vision, prompting legal action against Khan and his associates. As per the charge sheet, Munir and Munish allegedly procured a forged certificate claiming that the Central Medicinal Research, Chhattar Manzil, Lucknow, had tested and approved ‘Body Revival.’ The court noted that Munish played an active role in selling the medicine using fabricated and forged documents, thereby deceiving patients who visited Munir Khan’s clinic.
In its ruling, the court stated, “Prima facie, there is material on record which shows that the accused was involved in creating false documents and misleading the public. Therefore, there is sufficient evidence to proceed against the accused.”
The court also rejected the discharge plea of Sarosh Khan, another key accused, observing that he actively promoted the sale of ‘Body Revival’ in collaboration with Munir Khan. Special Sessions Judge A C Daga remarked that Sarosh was instrumental in furthering the fraudulent scheme by using falsified documentation.
Additionally, discharge pleas filed by five doctors and a clinic manager were dismissed. The accused doctors claimed they were misled by Munir Khan into believing that the medicine was effective. However, the court held them accountable for prescribing ‘Body Revival’ without diagnosing patients properly. “Patients expect doctors to provide treatment based on medical knowledge and to ensure no harm is done. The accused doctors failed in this duty by endorsing an unverified product, thereby abetting the fraud,” the court observed.
Investigations further revealed that ‘Body Revival’ contained ingredients banned by the forest department and lacked approval from any recognised medical institution. The ED’s probe also established that Munir Khan had no legitimate sources of income other than the profits from selling these unlicensed medicines. The agency has attached properties worth approximately ₹8 crore, allegedly acquired using proceeds from the scam, and registered under the names of Khan’s family members.
