ED Raids De-Addiction Centers In Punjab And Maharashtra In Connection To Illegal Drug Sale Case

The ED launched Raids in multiple cities of Punjab and in Mumbai as a part of its undergoing money laundering investigation

Enforcement Directorate (Representational Image)
Enforcement Directorate (Representational Image) Photo: PTI
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided multiple locations in Punjab and in Mumbai as part of a money laundering investigation linked to "illegal" sale of drugs by private de-addiction centres in the northern state, official sources told PTI

The federal agency's investigation stems from various FIRs filed by Punjab Police against a doctor named Amit Bansal, a pharmaceutical company, a drugs inspector and some others.

The raids are being conducted in Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Barnala in Punjab and in Mumbai, Maharashtra, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they told PTI

Bansal runs 22 drug de-addiction centres across Punjab. Private de-addiction centres like the ones run by Bansal have been entrusted by the Punjab government to provide BNX (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) medicine to patients enrolled in their facilities, so that they can be weaned away from narcotics sources said

It was found that these medicines meant for rehabilitation of drug addicts were being taken in "excess" quantities as a "new kind of drug abuse". Through his de-addiction centres, he "misused" the facilities and was involved in "illegal" sale of such drugs they told PTI

A drugs inspector named Rupinder Kaur is being probed as the official allegedly assisted Bansal in forwarding incorrect inspection reports related to pilferage of medicine from his hospitals and a pharma company named Rusan Pharma Limited, manufacturer of BNX, was also covered during the action, the sources told PTI

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