ED seizes financial records after raids at Punjab doctor's de-addiction centres over drugs pilferage

Jalandhar, July 19 (IANS) The ED seized property and financial records during searches at Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Barnala and Mumbai in connection with the illegal sale of psychotropic drugs procured by a Punjab doctor for the rehabilitation of addicts at his 22 private de-addiction centres, an official said on Saturday.

The searches under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, were targeted at the premises of doctor Amit Bansal, Rusan Pharma Limited and Punjab government’s drug inspector Roop Preet Kaur, the official said.

“During the searches, various incriminating records, including medicine stock register, multiple property purchase agreements and other relevant evidence critical in establishing the financial trail, uncovering the modus operandi of the entities involved were recovered and seized,” said an ED statement.

The ED searches on Friday revealed that doctor Bansal was procuring BNX (Buprenorphine/Nalaxone) drugs in the guise of his 22 de-addiction centres and selling them illegally, thereby generating huge Proceeds of Crime (POC), it said.

These drugs, meant for the rehabilitation of drug addicts, were misused for substance abuse.

The drug shortage at Bansal’s de-addiction centres because of the illegal sale was allegedly shown as a purchase return.

“The POC, thus generated, was layered through bank accounts and used in the purchase of multiple immovable properties,” said the probe agency.

Drug inspector Roop Preet Kaur allegedly assisted Bansal, a native of Barnala, in his illegal activities by overlooking the pilferage of de-addiction medicines and giving his centres a clean report.

The ED initiated its money-laundering investigation on the basis of various FIRs registered by the Punjab Police under sections of the NDPS Act 1985 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Bansal was arrested earlier in Mohali after his operations came under the scanner with the arrest of two employees of his Ludhiana de-addiction centre with 4,000 BNX tablets in 2022.

The doctor, who is on bail in the matter, had opened his first de-addiction centre in Barnala under ‘Manorog Kendra and gradually became a major player in the de-addiction and rehabilitation business in Punjab.

--IANS

rch/uk