ED raids 25 locations in UP, Jharkhand and Gujarat in a ₹1,000-crore illegal cough syrup probe.
Main accused Shubham Jaiswal is believed to have fled to Dubai; 32 arrests made by UP Police.
Probe based on nearly 30 UP Police FIRs over alleged diversion and transport of codeine-based syrups.
ED Raids 25 locations In Probe Into Illegal Cough Syrup Racket In UP
The Enforcement Directorate raided 25 locations across Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Gujarat in a money laundering probe into an alleged ₹1,000-crore illegal cough syrup racket linked to absconding accused Shubham Jaiswal.
Summary
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday carried out coordinated searches across several states as part of its money laundering probe into an alleged illegal cough syrup network operating out of Uttar Pradesh. According to PTI, the agency is examining how codeine-based cough syrups were allegedly manufactured, diverted and transported, including consignments suspected to have moved across the Bangladesh border.
ED teams searched 25 locations in Lucknow, Varanasi, Jaunpur and Saharanpur, along with premises in Ranchi and Ahmedabad. PTI reported that the action stems from nearly 30 FIRs filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police after the state government flagged repeated instances of misuse of codeine-based cough syrups (CBCS) and the illegal trade surrounding them. A criminal case has been registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The searches include sites linked to absconding accused Shubham Jaiswal, as well as his alleged associates Alok Singh, Amit Singh and others. Premises connected to cough syrup manufacturers and Chartered Accountant Vishnu Aggarwal have also been covered, PTI reported. Enforcement Directorate officials estimate that the suspected proceeds of crime in the case are around ₹1,000 crore.
Investigators believe Jaiswal has fled to Dubai, while his father has already been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police. So far, 32 people have been taken into custody in the state, which has set up a special investigation team to examine the wider network and its financial trail.
(With inputs from PTI)
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