Taking a stringent stand against the proliferation of narcotics, the Allahabad High Court has refused to grant legal protection to two alleged masterminds behind a sophisticated, cross-border codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS) trafficking ring.
On Monday, a division bench comprising Justice Ajay Bhanot and Justice Garima Prasad dismissed writ petitions filed by the accused, Sintu alias Akhilesh Prakash and Akash Maurya. The petitioners had approached the court seeking to quash the First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against them and to stay their potential arrests.
In a significant observation, the bench remarked that the petitioners were accused of committing a “crime against society” that was “grave in nature,” underscoring the severe public health implications of the alleged racket. Consequently, the court found no ground to interfere with the investigation or grant relief, dismissing both petitions.
According to the prosecution, Prakash and Maurya are not merely low-level handlers but are suspected to be the kingpins of a massive narcotics network operating out of Uttar Pradesh. The police allege that the duo orchestrated a high-volume supply chain rooted in fraud.
The FIR lodged at the Kotwali police station in Jaunpur details a complex modus operandi. The network allegedly utilized a web of fake companies and forged documents to create a veneer of legitimacy. Through these shell firms, illegal consignments of adulterated and codeine-laced cough syrup were disguised as standard pharmaceutical shipments to evade law enforcement detection.
Investigators claim the syndicate’s reach was extensive. The accused allegedly managed the transportation of these illicit substances from stock points in Ghaziabad and Varanasi. The supply chain reportedly spanned several states, moving contraband through Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, before crossing international borders into Nepal and Bangladesh.
Authorities have registered multiple FIRs regarding this matter across various districts, including Ghaziabad, Varanasi, and Jaunpur, reflecting the widespread footprint of the operation. By dismissing the plea to quash these FIRs, the High Court has cleared the path for investigating agencies to proceed with their probe against the alleged cartel leaders.
