Patna,(BiharTimes): Patna SSP Manu Maharaj was quoted as telling the Telegraph after the raids on Vishal Mega Mart (for selling fake products) last Friday: “Where will customers in Patna go? Those selling these fakes knowingly are more dangerous than a gun-toting criminal. A person with a gun kills in a flash, but using fake items is hazardous and the damage shows up later and is long-term. This cannot be tolerated. The raids on shops selling fakes will go on.”

Brave words. But Vishal Mega Mart is open and doing business. So are the others.

Raids were carried out sometimes back on Nine to Nine in S K Puri. On April 26 last, cops and Hindustan Unilever representatives raided another supermarket, Zee Saheb, on Boring Canal Road and seized fakes of popular cosmetics.

On February 27 last year, a team of policemen led by former Patna City SP Shivdeep Lande, had raided a supermarket in the Bandar Bageecha area, on a tip-off by Proctor &Gamble representatives, and seized several products that were fakes of those manufactured by well-known brand Olay.

What happened to Lande is a known fact. He was immediately transferred to remote Araria district.

If the crime is worse than that committed by gun-totting criminals than why are the owners of such prestigious malls not in jail. Is it because of right political connection or something else Mr Maharaj?

Had this been done by a small mohalla shop-owner his shop would have been sealed by the police and the owner thrown into jail.

It must be recalled that on Friday (May 24) six officials of Hindstun Lever Ltd along with Patna Police raided Vishal Mega Mart and recovered fake cosmetic products reputed brand worth Rs five lakh. Police have detained three persons in this connection.

SSP said that he had received complaints. “I will not allow fake products to be sold anywhere because they have very harmful affect on the body,” he said.

The police seized a huge quantity of fake deodorants and soaps being passed off as Denim and Dove, manufactured by Hindustan Unilever. Fake Pears, Pond’s Gold, body spray etc were also recovered.

Hindustan Unilever’s official Mustafa Husain said that action was taken after receipts of confirmation report from the company headquarters in Mumbai.