Uttar Pradesh ED Raid: ED Raids Mastermind Shubham Jaiswal's Premises in Varanasi in Codeine Cough Syrup Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a major crackdown against the illegal trade of Codeine cough syrup in Uttar Pradesh. In a significant operation, 45 ED teams descended upon Varanasi late Thursday night, initiating raids on various premises linked to Shubham Jaiswal, the alleged mastermind of the Codeine mix cough syrup case, early Friday morning. This extensive operation involved approximately 300 officers/employees and 200 CRPF jawans, who conducted searches across different areas of Varanasi starting at 7 AM, while the raids continued for about eight hours, with expectations of crucial revelations in the ongoing investigation.

ED Tightens Grip on Shubham Jaiswal's Network

The ED teams thoroughly searched Shubham Jaiswal's three houses, his shop, and half a dozen other locations. On top of that, firms belonging to two dozen other accused, including Devesh Jaiswal, who are associated with Shubham Jaiswal, were also raided by the ED, while this action was prompted by Shubham Jaiswal's failure to respond to a notice previously issued by the ED. A few days prior, ED teams had visited Jaiswal's premises and affixed a notice, instructing him to appear at the ED office within a week with his documents, including Aadhaar and PAN cards. With no response from Shubham Jaiswal, the ED proceeded with this large-scale raid. Each ED team comprised five to seven officers/employees and an equal number. Of CRPF jawans, ensuring both security and the integrity of the investigation process.

The Illicit Codeine Cough Syrup Trade

The entire case revolves around the illicit trade of Codeine. Mix cough syrup, with Shubham Jaiswal identified as the alleged mastermind. Just three days before these raids, the Varanasi SIT had recovered a massive consignment of 30,000 bottles of Codeine mix cough syrup from a warehouse located near the Ganga river. These bottles were estimated to be worth approximately ₹60 lakh, highlighting the significant scale of this illegal business. Following this recovery, Shubham Jaiswal had been at the top of the ED's radar.

The ED's current operation aims to uncover the roots of this illegal network and expose all individuals involved. Beyond Shubham Jaiswal, the ED teams also conducted raids at the premises of his Chartered Accountant (CA), Vishnu Kumar Agarwal. However, Vishnu Agarwal wasn't present at his firm during the raid, while it's also noteworthy that the SIT Sonbhadra team had previously questioned Vishnu Agarwal. Shubham Jaiswal's father, Bhola Prasad Jaiswal, who is also an accused in the cough syrup case, had informed the SIT during interrogation that CA Vishnu Kumar Agarwal managed all the accounts for Shubham Jaiswal's entire nexus. More than 40 firms in Varanasi have been named in FIRs related to the Codeine mix cough syrup case, and most of these have been subjected to ED raids.

SIT Investigation and the 12 Conspirators

The Uttar Pradesh government had constituted a three-member SIT team to investigate the. Codeine mix cough syrup case, led by IG Law and Order LR Kumar. On December 10, this team released the names of 12 conspirators involved in this illicit trade. These 12 syndicate members include Vibhor Rana, Saurabh Tyagi, Vishal Rana, Pappan Yadav, Shadab, Manohar Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Vishal Upadhyay, Bhola Prasad, Shubham Jaiswal, Akash Pathak, and Vinod Agarwal. The ED's current action is expected to accelerate the SIT's investigation and help uncover all facets of this illegal network. Following hours of intense operations, further developments in this case are. Anticipated, which could Notably curb the illegal trade of narcotic cough syrups.