12 more pharma firms booked in Varanasi cough syrup scandal
Varanasi: The Uttar Pradesh Food and Drugs Department has tightened its grip on the codeine-based cough syrup smuggling case in Varanasi, filing cases against 12 more pharmaceutical firms.
This comes on the heels of action taken earlier this month, when cases were registered against 26 firms.
As per PTI, Inspector Janab Ali of the department said on Friday that the case against the 26 firms was lodged on November 15. At that time, 12 suspicious firms were also found.
Read also: Mumbai Chemist Gets 15-Year NDPS Jail Term for Trafficking Codeine-Based Cough Syrup
When a team went to investigate these 12 firms, they were either found closed or there were other shops operating at the same addresses, Ali said.
He said notices were issued to the operators of these pharmaceutical firms, seeking a clarification. When the owners of these firms failed to submit their responses, a case was filed against them at the Kotwali police station on Friday.
Read also: 12 medical store owners, 2 others booked in multi-crore codeine syrup scam
