Software Engineer Loses Life Savings in Elaborate Ayurvedic Scam
A 29-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru has become the victim of an elaborate scam, losing a staggering Rs 48 lakh to a self-proclaimed Ayurvedic healer and an Ayurvedic medicine shop that sold him costly and potentially harmful herbal products under the false promise of curing his sexual health problems.
The Beginning of the Ordeal
The complainant, a resident of Jnanabarathi who originally hails from Shivamogga district, has been working at a private firm for the past three years. According to his police complaint filed with Jnanabarathi police on Saturday, he got married in March 2023 and the couple initially lived in Basaveshwaranagar. During the early months of his married life, he developed sexual health issues and sought medical help from a multispeciality hospital in Kengeri.
The hospital doctors conducted tests and prescribed medications, but during one of his visits to the hospital on May 3 this year, he noticed an Ayurvedic tent near a law college in Ullal that advertised 'quick solution for sexual problems'. Curious about this alternative treatment, he approached the tent where he met a man who listened to his problems.
The Elaborate Deception Unfolds
The man at the tent assured the software engineer that a certain quack named 'Vijay Guruji' could provide a fast remedy and promised to arrange a meeting. The same evening, a person arrived at the tent introducing himself as Vijay Guruji. After examining the victim, Vijay claimed that a rare medicine called 'Devaraj Booti' would cure his problem and instructed him to purchase it exclusively from Vijayalakshmi Ayurvedic medicine shop in Yeshwanthpur.
Vijay insisted that the medicine was sourced directly from Haridwar in Uttarakhand and was available only at that particular store, priced at an exorbitant Rs 1.6 lakh per gram. He gave specific instructions that the medicine must be purchased with cash and that the victim should go alone, claiming that if anyone accompanied him, the medicine would lose its potency.
The victim followed these instructions, took cash from his house, purchased the medicine, and returned to Vijay. The fake healer then explained how to use Devaraj Booti and sold him another product called 'Bhavana Booti Thaila' at Rs 76,000 per gram, suggesting he buy 15 grams of the oil.
Mounting Financial Pressure and Health Complications
Over time, the victim reportedly borrowed money from his wife and parents every week, eventually paying Rs 17 lakh for 15 grams of oil and other products. Vijay later pressured him to buy an additional 3 grams of Devaraj Booti at Rs 1.6 lakh per gram. When the victim expressed financial constraints, Vijay threatened that if he didn't purchase the powder, the entire treatment given until that point would become ineffective.
Fearing the consequences, the victim took a Rs 20 lakh loan from his bank and purchased a total of 18 grams of Devaraj Booti as suggested by Vijay. The deception continued as he was convinced to buy another medicine called 'Devaraj Rasabooti' at Rs 2.6 lakh per gram. For this purchase, he borrowed Rs 10 lakh from a friend and bought four grams of Devaraj Rasabooti.
Despite using all these medicines exactly as directed and spending a total of Rs 48 lakh purchased exclusively from Vijayalakshmi Ayurvedic medicine shop, the victim saw no improvement in his condition. When he reported this to Vijay, the fake healer suggested additional medicines to 'complete' the treatment and threatened that discontinuing would cause severe health complications.
The situation took a serious turn when the victim underwent a fresh medical check-up that revealed complications in his kidney through blood tests. The complainant alleged that his health deteriorated due to consumption of the herbal medicines prescribed by Vijay Guruji.
Police Action and Ongoing Investigation
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Anitha B Haddannavar confirmed the seriousness of the case and stated that she has instructed division police to clear all roadside Ayurvedic tents in the area. The Jnanabarathi police station has registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 123 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence), 316 (criminal breach of trust), and 318 (cheating).
Police are currently making efforts to apprehend the accused persons, including Vijay, the medicine shop owner, and the initial quack who introduced the victim to Vijay. The case highlights the dangers of seeking treatment from unverified practitioners and the sophisticated methods scammers use to exploit vulnerable individuals.
