Sonbhadra Police Bust Fake ₹6-Crore Cough Syrup Deal, Arrest Rewarded Accused Satyam Kumar

The controversy surrounding cough syrup misuse and illegal trade in Uttar Pradesh has taken a dramatic turn with Sonbhadra Police arresting a wanted accused carrying a reward of ₹10,000. The arrest has exposed a large-scale paper transaction involving a fake purchase worth nearly ₹6 crore of cough syrup, allegedly carried out for a profit of just ₹1 per bottle.

The accused, 28-year-old Satyam Kumar, a resident of Varanasi, was arrested during a special crackdown against drug mafias. Police said he had obtained a fraudulent drug licence in the name of “Maa Kripa Medical” using forged documents and was operating an elaborate network of fake billing and financial transactions.

The operation was conducted under the direction of Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma, with a special team led by the Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) and the City Circle Officer. Personnel from the SIT, SOG and Sonbhadra Police were part of the joint action.

Fake Licence, No Shop, Only Paper Trail

Police investigation revealed that Satyam showed a rented house in Barkara village, Robertsganj, as a functional medical store to obtain the drug licence, even though no pharmacy was ever operational at the site.

Using this fake licence, he allegedly showed a paper purchase of cough syrup worth around ₹6 crore from Shaili Traders, Ranchi. The same stock was then shown as sold to fake firms based in Bhadohi, with money transferred through bank accounts to create a false trail. Officials clarified that no actual transportation or physical movement of cough syrup ever took place—the entire operation existed only on documents.

₹1 Profit Per Bottle

During interrogation, Satyam admitted that the racket was purely document-based and that he earned only ₹1 profit per bottle. Police believe the accused was a crucial link in a wider drug trafficking and money-laundering network, connected to earlier seizures worth several crores.

Officials stated that the arrest is part of an ongoing investigation, and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other members of the network. More disclosures are expected in the coming days.

The successful operation has raised hopes that illegal trade and misuse of narcotic cough syrups in the region will be curbed through sustained enforcement and coordinated action against drug mafias.