The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe and curb the rising incidents of illegal sale, storage, and trafficking of codeine-based cough syrup across several districts of the state.
The move comes after multiple FIRs were registered in recent days, revealing that organised criminal groups were involved in diverting cough syrup consignments and generating illegal financial gains.
According to the government order, the SIT has been constituted to ensure coordinated, inter-departmental action and to strengthen investigations that extend beyond district boundaries.
The three-member SIT comprises LR Kumar, Inspector General (Law and Order), Uttar Pradesh Police – Chairperson; Sushil Pulai Chandrabhanu, Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, Uttar Pradesh – Member; and Akhilesh Kumar Jain, Assistant Commissioner (Headquarters), Food Safety and Drug Administration, Uttar Pradesh – Member.
According to Secretary (Home) Mohit Gupta, the SIT has been tasked with probing the financial transactions linked to the illegal trafficking network, investigating the diversion of codeine syrup, identifying inter-state connections, and examining illegally acquired assets. The team will also pursue action related to the extradition of offenders who have fled abroad.
Additionally, the SIT will supervise and ensure the quality and time-bound disposal of all related investigations being conducted at the district level. The report on the actions taken is to be submitted to the state government within one month.