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Codeine racket: Police announce ₹25k reward each on 5 accused
Ghazipur superintendent of police (SP) Iraj Raja said the reward was declared to expedite the arrest of the absconding accused allegedly involved in the illegal trade of codeine-laced cough syrup, which has narcotic properties. He said police teams were also verifying the movable and immovable assets of the accused, with assistance being sought from departments concerned.
The Uttar Pradesh Police have intensified their crackdown on a large-scale codeine-based cough syrup diversion racket, announcing a reward of ₹25,000 each on five accused in the Ghazipur case, even as investigators probe the suspected interstate diversion of nearly 12 lakh bottles from Kanpur.
Ghazipur superintendent of police (SP) Iraj Raja said the reward was declared to expedite the arrest of the absconding accused allegedly involved in the illegal trade of codeine-laced cough syrup, which has narcotic properties. He said police teams were also verifying the movable and immovable assets of the accused, with assistance being sought from departments concerned.
Additional superintendent of police (city) Rakesh Mishra said the reward had been announced for the arrest of proprietors of five firms — Amit Singh (M/s Ansh Medical College), Nilesh Srivastava (M/s Shubham Pharma), Shubham Singh (M/s Nityansh Medical Agency), Daya Ram Singh (M/s Maurya Medical Store) and Rahul Yadav (M/s Radhika Medical Agency).
Police officials said the case dates back to November, when an FIR was registered over the alleged purchase and sale of codeine-based cough syrup worth several crore in Ghazipur district. One accused, Sarvansh Verma, has already been arrested.
On November 23, 2025, drug inspector Brajesh Maurya lodged an FIR against six medical firms for their alleged involvement in the illegal trade. Subsequent investigation pointed to a wider network operating beyond district boundaries, officials said.
As part of the probe, a special investigation team (SIT) issued a lookout circular against Neeraj Srivastava, proprietor of M/s Shubham Pharma, Khanpur, to prevent him from leaving the country. Immigration and border control agencies have been alerted, police said, adding efforts were under way to trace other accused and dismantle the supply chain.
The state government constituted the SIT on December 9, 2025, headed by inspector general (law and order) LR Kumar. The panel also includes Sushil Ghule Chandrabhan, senior superintendent of police, Special Task Force (STF), and Akhilesh Kumar Jain, assistant commissioner (headquarters), food safety and drug administration.
Officials said the team was examining possible international links and exploring legal options to fast-track the extradition of prime accused, if required.
Meanwhile, investigators in Kanpur suspect that around 12 lakh bottles of codeine-based cough syrup were dispatched from the city to multiple states. The development emerged during scrutiny of e-way bills and transport documents by the crime branch and the SIT.
Teams have been formed to verify whether the consignments reached their declared destinations or were diverted mid-transit to illegal markets. “Transport routes, delivery points and recipients mentioned in the documents are being examined to establish where the consignments were offloaded,” a senior official said.
Police sources said the focus had widened to identifying manufacturers, distributors, transporters and retail outlets allegedly involved in the racket, believed to have generated several crore through illegal sales.
With multiple agencies involved and the probe spanning several districts and states, officials said further arrests and seizures were likely in the coming days.
