NEW DELHI/BATHINDA: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday conducted searches at 22 de-addiction centres across Punjab, including in Chandigarh, Barnala and Ludhiana, after its investigation revealed illegal sale of drugs by these centres. The agency also searched a premise in Mumbai linked to the accused.
Dr Amit Bansal, who runs these 22 centres, is prime accused in the case, sources said. Bansal, against whom Punjab Police has registered multiple FIRs, is alleged to be engaged in illegal sale of drugs from his de-addiction centres.
Privately-run drug de-addiction centres in Punjab are allowed to administer BNX (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) medicine to enrolled patients. These drugs are strictly meant for rehabilitation of addicts. Taken in excess, it is considered drug abuse.
“It was found that Bansal, through his de-addiction centres, misused his facility and was allegedly involved in illegal sale of these drugs,” sources said.
The agency has also been investigating drug inspector Rupinder Kaur , who allegedly assisted Bansal in providing incorrect inspection reports related to pilferage of medicine from his hospitals.
Kaur’s premises were also searched, besides a pharmaceutical company manufacturing BNX.
Bansal was, until some time ago, a major player in the de-addiction and rehabilitation business in Punjab.
A native of Barnala town, around 175km from Chandigarh, he started his career by setting up a small-time scan centre and then established his first de-addiction centre under the name ‘Manorog Kendra’ in Barnala.
Bansal first ran into trouble in 2022 when two employees of his Ludhiana centre were arrested during a Vigilance Bureau raid for deficiencies in Buprenorphine and Naloxone.
Authorities had then recovered 4,000 Buprenorphine tablets from a Honda Activa registered in the centre’s name. A case was registered in Mohali on Oct 5, 2022, but charges under NDPS Act were not added. Bansal was arrested in Mohali on Dec 31, after which all 22 centres came under scrutiny. He is currently on bail.
Dr Amit Bansal, who runs these 22 centres, is prime accused in the case, sources said. Bansal, against whom Punjab Police has registered multiple FIRs, is alleged to be engaged in illegal sale of drugs from his de-addiction centres.
Privately-run drug de-addiction centres in Punjab are allowed to administer BNX (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) medicine to enrolled patients. These drugs are strictly meant for rehabilitation of addicts. Taken in excess, it is considered drug abuse.
“It was found that Bansal, through his de-addiction centres, misused his facility and was allegedly involved in illegal sale of these drugs,” sources said.
The agency has also been investigating drug inspector Rupinder Kaur , who allegedly assisted Bansal in providing incorrect inspection reports related to pilferage of medicine from his hospitals.
Kaur’s premises were also searched, besides a pharmaceutical company manufacturing BNX.
Bansal was, until some time ago, a major player in the de-addiction and rehabilitation business in Punjab.
A native of Barnala town, around 175km from Chandigarh, he started his career by setting up a small-time scan centre and then established his first de-addiction centre under the name ‘Manorog Kendra’ in Barnala.
Bansal first ran into trouble in 2022 when two employees of his Ludhiana centre were arrested during a Vigilance Bureau raid for deficiencies in Buprenorphine and Naloxone.
Authorities had then recovered 4,000 Buprenorphine tablets from a Honda Activa registered in the centre’s name. A case was registered in Mohali on Oct 5, 2022, but charges under NDPS Act were not added. Bansal was arrested in Mohali on Dec 31, after which all 22 centres came under scrutiny. He is currently on bail.
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