A software engineer in Bengaluru has filed a police complaint after he was allegedly swindled out of ₹48 lakh by a fraudulent Ayurvedic practitioner. Compounding the severe financial loss, the victim also reported developing serious kidney problems due to the ‘medicines’ he consumed while seeking a cure for a sexual health problem.
The victim filed a complaint with the Jnanabharathi police on Saturday, detailing how he was duped by the fake medical tent.
How the Techie Was Duped
The incident began on May 3, when the Bengaluru-based techie, who had started developing a sexual health problem after his marriage in 2023, noticed a roadside banner promising a ‘quick cure’ near KLE Law College in Kengeri.
- The Quack’s Promise: Inside the makeshift ‘Ayurvedic Dawakhana’ tent, a man identifying himself as ‘Vijay Guruji’ promised the victim a permanent cure through the use of “rare Ayurvedic medicines.”
- The ‘Rare’ Product: The Guruji instructed the techie to purchase a product called ‘Devaraj Booti’ from a specific outlet, Vijayalakshmi Ayurvedic Store in Yeshwantpur. The practitioner claimed this Booti was specially sourced from Haridwar and came with an exorbitant price tag of ₹1.6 lakh per gram.
- Strict Instructions: The victim was specifically told to pay only in cash and to ensure he did not bring anyone else along during the purchase.
The Massive Financial Loss and Health Crisis
The software engineer, desperate for a cure, fell for the scam and began buying the products:
- Initial Purchases: Believing the quack, the techie was convinced to buy the ‘Devaraj Booti’ and a subsequent herbal concoction called ‘Bhavana Booti Taila’, which cost ₹76,000 per gram.
- Borrowing Heavily: To fund the initial purchases, the engineer borrowed a massive ₹17 lakh from his wife and parents.
- Bank Loan: Vijay Guruji later insisted the victim buy more ‘Devaraj Booti,’ threatening that the entire treatment would fail otherwise. This led the victim to take out a bank loan of ₹20 lakh to continue the purchases.
In total, the victim spent ₹48 lakh on the fake treatments. Not only did he see no improvement in his initial condition, but the substances he consumed led to the development of kidney problems.
Internet Reactions and Calls for Action
The shocking case of fraud against an educated professional elicited strong reactions online:
- Bengaluru-based cardiologist Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy wrote on X: “Spent 48 lakh! On that Dawakhana!!! He deserves to be duped.”
- Another user expressed dismay: “I am shocked that nowadays educated people are falling for quacks and scams… people get duped with such insane amounts.”
Many users urged Bengaluru authorities to initiate an investigation into the legality and prevalence of similar roadside Ayurvedic tents that have become common across the city. The Jnanabharathi police are now investigating the matter based on the victim’s complaint.