Akhilesh Yadav, UP Deputy CMs lock horns over cough syrup racket

Lucknow, Dec 19 (PTI) A political slugfest erupted in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, with Samajawadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav taking a swipe at the BJP government over the codeine-based cough syrup racket and Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak linking the SP chief to the alleged accused through a photograph.

In a cryptic X post, Yadav shared video statement given by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad to the media and mocked the government's investigation into the drug abuse.

"To investigate drug addiction, form a Syrup Task Force -- meaning STF -- along with a GTF. The public is intelligent enough," Yadav wrote, leaving unclear what "GTF" meant.

He further alleged that BJP leaders appeared rattled over the cough syrup issue and claimed that they do not consume the medicine because knew the "truth" behind it.

In response to Yadav's post, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak showed reporters a photograph shared on social media, in which the Samajwadi Party chief was allegedly seen with persons linked to the cough syrup case.

"These people seen standing with the Samajwadi Party chief are the same who are accused in the cough syrup racket. They are accusing others while trying to evade accountability," Pathak said.

He asserted that the ongoing probe would establish facts clearly.

"Our government is committed to a fair and impartial investigation, and strict action will be taken against whoever is found guilty," Pathak said, alleging that forces that "pushed the state towards mafia raj and lawlessness" should introspect.

Pathak demanded that the Samajwadi Party clarify the presence of those individuals in the photograph, claiming that they were party members who had flourished during its tenure.

The exchange came amid the ongoing crackdown on an alleged illegal network involved in the storage and distribution of codeine-based cough syrups in the state.

The state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the racket. The SIT, headed by an Inspector General-rank officer and consisting of Food and Drug Safety Authority officials, is examining financial transactions, diversion of regulated medicines and links emerging from the accused.

Earlier, Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna had said that the probe has exposed a network of major "super-stockists" allegedly involved in diverting codeine-laced syrups. Three of the five key accused --” Bhola Jaiswal from Varanasi, Vibhor Rana from Saharanpur and Saurabh Tyagi from Ghaziabad --” have been arrested, while action is underway against two others.

So far, about 3.5 lakh bottles of cough syrup valued at around Rs 4.5 crore have been seized and 32 people linked to the illegal trade have been taken into custody, police said.

Investigators have also found evidence suggesting that consignments were trafficked across the India-Nepal and India-Bangladesh borders. Financial transactions and money trails connected to the network are being verified, with the Enforcement Directorate carrying out parallel investigations.

The state government has clarified that no casualties have been reported in Uttar Pradesh due to codeine-laced syrups. PTI KIS RUK RUK