THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Oct 8: Jharkhand BJP State President and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi has written to the Principal Secretary of the Health Department, calling for a high-level investigation into the alleged illegal sale of banned and narcotic drugs in the state. The letter raises concerns over administrative negligence, misuse of narcotic cough syrups, and alleged irregularities in the Drug Controller’s office.
Allegations of Inaction in Drug Seizure Case
The BJP leader referred to a 2023 case in which the Jharkhand Police, acting on information from the Gujarat Police, seized a large consignment of the banned cough syrup Phensedyl from Dhanbad’s Barwada area. Despite the CID taking over the investigation, the letter notes that no arrests have been made even after fourteen months.
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Describing the situation as “alarming,” the letter suggests that the continued sale of banned syrups points to “administrative laxity” and raises questions over the enforcement of drug control measures in the state.
Inquiry Report Alleging Collusion Buried for Three Years
Citing a pending public interest litigation (Arun Kumar Dubey vs State Government) before the Jharkhand High Court, the letter draws attention to allegations that the supply of counterfeit and narcotic medicines was facilitated by government officials.
The petition reportedly includes a three-member inquiry committee report dated 11 February 2022, which states that large quantities of narcotic drugs were sold openly, and some officials “deliberately suppressed” the issue. The report names former Joint Director Surendra Prasad, Drug Controller Ritu Sahay, and Special Secretary Chandra Kishore Oraon.
According to the letter, the report also details that obstruction occurred during a raid on M/s Vishwanath Pharmaceuticals, and that a delay in action allowed counterfeit codeine-based syrup worth around ₹1 crore to be sold in markets in Lucknow and Varanasi. The BJP leader claims that this report has “remained buried in departmental records for nearly three years” without follow-up action.
Questions Raised Over Promotion of Officials Under Scrutiny
The letter further highlights that one of the officials named in the report was recently promoted, questioning how such a decision could be made while investigations are still pending. The BJP leader said this “undermines public confidence and violates the principles of administrative integrity.”
Call for Central Agency Involvement and Transparency
The BJP leader urged the state government to make the 2022 inquiry report public and to take immediate action on its findings. He also called for a comprehensive investigation by central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to examine both the financial and supply chain aspects of the alleged drug trade.
The letter also seeks an independent audit of the Drug Controller’s Office and the suspension of any officers under suspicion or investigation until inquiries are complete.
Broader Public Health Concerns
According to the BJP leader, the unchecked availability of banned and psychotropic substances is fuelling addiction among youth and expanding into an interstate and international network extending to the Bangladesh border.
Concluding the letter, he emphasised that the issue concerns public health, youth welfare, and transparency in governance, urging the Health Department to act swiftly to restore public trust in the state’s health system.
