Cough syrup trafficking case: Dismissed UP constable becomes latest arrest

After Alok Pratap’s role emerged in the investigation, the police started actively searching for him and conducted multiple raids across Lucknow. Sources said he was arrested while he was reportedly on his way to the court to surrender.

“We will seek his police remand for further interrogation,” a senior police officer said.

The police are currently conducting a series of raids to trace the prime accused, Shubham Jaiswal, who is believed to have fled abroad. The Sonbhadra police, who are also investigating the case, arrested Shubham’s father Bhola Prasad, in West Bengal.

In February last year, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a joint investigation team comprising the Special Task Force (STF) and the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety & Drug Administration Department to probe allegations that cough syrup and other codeine-based medicines were being illegally stored, traded as intoxicants, and smuggled to states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, West Bengal, as well as across the border to Bangladesh.

During the probe, the team recovered a large quantity of cough syrup and subsequently lodged an FIR at the Sushant Golf City Police Station in Lucknow for cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and several other offences. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, police said.

During interrogation, Alok Pratap said he was introduced to Jaiswal through Vikas Singh from Azamgarh. “Alok said Vikas had told him that Jaiswal operated a major pharmaceutical business in Ranchi. He was further informed that codeine-based cough syrup was widely consumed as an intoxicant and was in demand in West Bengal and Bangladesh, making its trafficking highly profitable. Tempted by the promise of quick earnings, he agreed,” said an officer.

Through Vikas Singh, both men contacted Jaiswal and his partners and in January last year, a firm was set up in Dhanbad to facilitate the trade, police said.

The accused further revealed that Jaiswal and his partners had set up numerous fake firms and generated forged invoices and e-bills for cough syrup. The diverted stock was then sold to traffickers, generating substantial profits for the group, police said.

Alok also said that the experience certificates, affidavits, and other documents used to secure drug licences for these firms were completely fraudulent, and that none of them had ever worked in any medical shop or had any legitimate experience in the pharmaceutical trade, police added.