New Delhi, May 5
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police on Tuesday unearthed a well-organised racket involved in the sale of counterfeit branded garments and accessories, operating under the guise of a discount exhibition at a luxury hotel in the Vasant Kunj area of southwest Delhi with the arrest of an individual, officials said.
The accused, Iqbal (51), a resident of Nuh district in Haryana, was managing the exhibition, supervising staff, handling customers and overseeing sales, they added.
According to the police, acting on a complaint from Brand Protectors India Pvt Ltd, a team from the Western Range-I on May 3 conducted a raid at the ballroom of Hotel ‘The Grand’, where a large-scale “discount sale” was underway.
Customers were allegedly misled into purchasing fake products presented as genuine items from reputed brands.
The police recovered a substantial quantity of counterfeit goods, including garments and accessories bearing labels such as Peter England, Allen Solly, Mufti, Van Heusen, Jack & Jones, Calvin Klein, Zara, GANT, US Polo and Aurelia. In addition, ladies’ purses branded as Michael Kors and luxury watches labelled Michael Kors, Tissot, Armani Exchange and Omega were seized.
Officials also confiscated Rs 2.87 lakh in cash, swipe machines, QR code-based payment devices, bill books, and other materials used to create an appearance of legitimacy.
According to investigators, the accused organised temporary exhibitions in prominent hotels and convention centres across Delhi and other cities, offering steep discounts to attract customers. The operation relied on convincing sales tactics, printed bills and digital payment systems to pass off counterfeit goods as authentic products. Buyers were sometimes told the items were “export surplus” or “first copies,” while being led to believe they were genuine.
The accused, during interrogation, allegedly admitted to working under the direction of the main accused, Farukh Ahmad, and receiving an 8-10 per cent share of the profits.
Farukh Ahmad, identified as the mastermind, is believed to have coordinated procurement of counterfeit goods, arranged venues and managed logistics for such exhibitions across multiple cities. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest him.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Copyright Act at the Crime Branch police.
