Three Associates of Kingpin Shubham Jaiswal Arrested in Siddharthnagar Codeine Cough Syrup Case

Siddharthnagar/Varanasi:
In a major crackdown on codeine cough syrup smuggling, Varanasi police have arrested three key associates of the alleged kingpin Shubham Jaiswal. The arrests were carried out in Siddharthnagar on Tuesday morning, following earlier look-out notices issued against the suspects, who were reportedly planning to flee to Nepal.

The arrested individuals are:

• Vikas Singh Narve, resident of Narve village, Bardah Police Station, Azamgarh
• Akash Pathak, resident of Siddhamata Gali, Maidagir Golghar
• Ankit Srivastava, associate of Vikas Singh

Earlier, the police had announced a reward of ₹50,000 each for information leading to the arrest of Vikas Singh and Akash Pathak.

Significance of Vikas Singh’s Arrest

Authorities describe Vikas Singh Narve as a key player in the syndicate, who acted as the right-hand man of Shubham Jaiswal. He was apprehended near the Nepal border while attempting to flee. Vikas had previously been issued both look-out and Red Corner notices. Police investigations revealed that he had facilitated Shubham’s connections with other associates, including Amit Singh Tata, and played a central role in the syndicate’s operations.

Syndicate Operations and Fake Firms

Vikas Singh reportedly opened a fake pharmacy named Devnath Pharmacy in Badagaon, serving as a cover for the illicit syrup trade. He later conducted paper transactions through Shaili Traders and monitored the movement of black money for Shubham Jaiswal.

The syndicate also operated a firm called Med Remedy Lifecare Private Limited, reportedly set up fraudulently by Shubham Jaiswal and Akash Pathak. Investigations suggest that the group regularly held meetings at the residences of Amit Singh Tata in Jaunpur and at Shaili Traders’ office in Mahmoorganj, Lucknow, to coordinate the smuggling operations.

Official Statements

DCP Crime Sarvannan T, head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), stated that Vikas Singh played a pivotal role in the syndicate and was closely associated with Shubham Jaiswal. Both Akash Pathak and Shubham Jaiswal jointly operated the fraudulent firm.

Siddharthnagar SSP Dr. Abhishek Mahajan confirmed that the arrests were made from Mohana Police Station area, and the suspects are currently in SIT custody for further investigation. Cases against Vikas Singh are registered in Varanasi, Jaunpur, and Azamgarh.

Authorities said the arrests are part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the network involved in codeine cough syrup smuggling, with more actions expected in the coming days.