Fact Check: No, Pharma Giants Did Not Kill Actor Mukul Dev Over a Lemon-Iodine Diabetes Cure

However, several social media videos and posts are seen promoting unproven remedies with exaggerated claims, potentially misleading viewers and delaying proper medical care—especially for chronic conditions like diabetes. While some home remedies may show promise in managing diabetes, solely relying on them without proper medical guidance can be dangerous and lead to serious health complications.

The Telugupost team encountered one such video on Facebook, claiming that the late actor Mukul Dev was murdered by pharma companies because he proved that lemon and iodine together can cure diabetes permanently without spending thousands of rupees on diabetes medication. The video also claims that famous doctor Dr. Devi Shetty shared this remedy with him a day before his death. It shows images of Dr. Shetty, Amitabh Bachchan, and a crying Rajat Sharma, along with funeral footage, urging viewers to click on a “learn more” link.

Original Facebook post:

Here is the Archive link of the claim.

Fact Check:

The claim is false. Actor Mukul Dev was not murdered by the drug mafia. There is no scientific evidence supporting the use of lemon and iodine as a cure for diabetes. The viral video is made using unrelated and manipulated images.

A keyword search for “actor Mukul Dev’s death” revealed that he passed away on May 23, 2025, at the age of 54, due to health complications after being in the ICU for more than 8 days. According to his brother Rahul Dev, his death was due to poor eating habits. In his last days, he had stopped eating altogether. He felt lonely and lost interest in life. News reports highlighted his loneliness as a contributing factor to his deteriorating health, but there is no mention of any diabetes cure playing a role in his death.

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body does not produce enough insulin or does not use the produced insulin effectively. As a result, blood sugar levels fluctuate, leading to several complications. Lemons are citrus fruits rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber that can benefit health. They are particularly high in Vitamin C and contain a small percentage of fiber. While lemon may be beneficial to people with diabetes, it does not address the root cause or cure the disease completely. Here is the Health blog on lemon and diabetes.

Iodine is not used for the treatment of diabetes. It is known for its role in treating thyroid dysfunction. Although thyroid function and glucose metabolism are linked, there is no scientific evidence that iodine can completely cure diabetes.

The viral video shows anchor Rajat Sharma crying unnaturally throughout, with the video and audio not in sync. It clearly appears manipulated. The actor did not receive a state funeral with uniformed soldiers or an Indian flag on his coffin. Such honors are typically reserved for high-ranking officials or military personnel. Here is the actual video showing Mukul Dev's funeral, which does not resemble the viral video:

Additionally, the link attached to the misleading post is non-functional and presents no evidence of the supposed cure or the alleged conspiracy behind Mukul Dev’s death. The viral video is manipulated. The claim that lemon and iodine can cure diabetes completely is false, and the allegation that actor Mukul Dev was murdered by pharmaceutical companies to protect a secret cure is also false.