New Delhi

DelhiPolice has busted an alleged counterfeit auto parts racket and arrested three men for allegedly selling fake switches bearing the name of an auto component manufacturing brand, an official said on Saturday.

During raids at three shops in Karol Bagh, police recovered 10,650 allegedly counterfeit switches that were imported and sold as genuine UNO Minda products, police said in a statement.

According to police, the accused allegedly procured cheap foreign-made on/off switches and illegally engraved them with the trademarks of the reputed brand before selling them in the market for profit.

The accused have been identified as Rajesh Malhotra, Som Bhutani and Kamal Raswant, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Police said the action was carried out following specific inputs regarding the sale of fake branded products in Karol Bagh. Acting on the information, police along with authorised legal representatives of UNO Minda, conducted raids at three wholesale establishments in the area on May 19, the officer added. During the operation, police recovered 8,500 allegedly counterfeit switches from one shop, 650 from another and 1,500 from the third store, Yadav said. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS and the Copyright Act at the Crime Branch police station. Police said the three accused had been involved in wholesale trading of auto parts for nearly 15 to 20 years and allegedly turned to the counterfeit business due to higher profit margins associated with branded products.