Codiene syrup racket: Akhilesh calls for bulldozer action against 'mafias' even if from SP

Lucknow, Dec 20 (PTI) Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday called for bulldozer action against all those described as "mafias" in the alleged illegal codeine syrup racket, even if they belong to the Samajwadi Party.

Addressing a press conference here, Yadav accused the BJP of hiding crucial facts in the case and said the government was selectively using photographs to level allegations against his party.

"If standing in a picture makes someone a mafia, then I also have photographs with the chief minister, both deputy chief ministers and several BJP leaders. If my photo and the chief minister's photo are seen together, who will be called the mafia then?" he asked.

Yadav's remarks came after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya alleged that some of the accused in the codeine syrup racket had links with the Samajwadi Party and displayed old photographs of them with Yadav to support their claim.

The SP chief alleged that the racket was far bigger than what was being projected and claimed it originated from the parliamentary constituency of the prime minister.

"This is not a matter of Rs 100 or 200 crore. What is being heard is that it involves around 700 companies and transactions worth several thousand crore rupees," he said.

"If the BJP is saying that those whose photographs are being shown are mafias, then I demand that bulldozers should run over all of them. If any of them belong to the Samajwadi Party, demolish their houses too. Do not hesitate," Yadav said, adding that action should also be taken against all officials involved in the nexus.

Referring to the government's bulldozer policy, Yadav said the demand was being raised because the issue involved the prime minister's Lok Sabha constituency and a massive illegal network.

"Everyone involved in looting thousands of crores should face bulldozer action," he said.

When asked by a journalist to identify people being referred to as "Kaleen bhaiya" and "Codeine bhaiya", Yadav said it was for the government to explain.

Yadav also alleged suppression of dissent, claiming police tried to drown out the voice of retired IPS officer Amitabh Thakur by blowing whistles when he attempted to speak to the media.

He further alleged that former MLA Deepak Yadav was jailed in a "false case involving a few thousand rupees".

Earlier, Adityanath had said initial investigations had revealed that some of those arrested for illegal supply of codeine-based cough syrup had links with the Samajwadi Party and that a state-level SIT, involving the police and the Food and Drug Safety Administration, was probing the case.

On Friday, the chief minister said codeine phosphate is regulated under the NDPS Act, and misuse of prescription-only syrups had led to the crackdown, with FIRs lodged against 128 establishments across 28 districts. PTI KIS HIG HIG