04 December,2009 07:07 AM IST | | Prawesh Lama
Cops suspect factory in city manufactures fake stamp and company seal
The next time you buy a branded electronic good, pray that you get the genuine product.
In an incident that may shock quality-conscious consumers, the Delhi Police on Wednesday confiscated around 10,000 cheap Chinese electrical equipment being sold as genuine Philips products. The police were acting on a complaint lodged by Raman Khanna, a senior Philips official.
Acting on the complaint, the District Intelligence Unit of the North district, Delhi Police, arrested a 42-year-old businessman, Raj Kumar, from his wholesale shop at Bhagirath Palace, Chandni Chowk, for allegedly violating the Copyright Act and selling electrical goods made in China as Philips' products made in India.
The electrical equipment seized included light starters, chokes, halogen lights and sodium bulbs among other products.
Fake so real
According to the police, Raj Kumar had been selling fake products from his shop, Prince Electronics, for a year.
During investigations, the police found that one person, identified as Suresh, who is absconding, had been supplying Kumar the China-made goods. "Raj Kumar told us the Chinese electrical goods Suresh supplied were packed in boxes with the brand name of Philips with the company's original seal and stamp. Raj said Suresh used to buy them from local markets and also had a man in China who sent him some of the high-end products," said an investigating officer, wishing anonymity.u00a0 The police are now probing the possibility of a factory in outer Delhi where Suresh printed the Philips labels and holograms. A case under Sections 63 of the Copyright Act and 420 of the Indian Penal Code has been lodged against Kumar.
Talking to MiD DAY, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Preet Hooda confirmed the arrest and said investigations were on.
