New Delhi [India], November 24 (ANI): Stepping up its probe, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached industrial land in Haryana belonging to a Himachal Pradesh-based company accused of diverting the Codeine-based cough syrup 'Cocrex' for illicit drug use.

The agency said its Jammu sub-zonal office provisionally attached the immovable property worth Rs 1 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The property comprises industrial land at Panipat, Haryana, of Vidit Healthcare Pvt Ltd, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh.

As per the ED's statement, the agency initiated investigation in respect of case registered by Jammu division of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) against Vidit Healthcare (Managing Partner, Neeraj Bhatia) Niket Kansal and others 'for illegal diversion of a Codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS), 'Cocrex', for misuse as intoxicant/drug, from manufacturer, Vidit Healthcare.'

ED investigation revealed that 'Vidit Healthcare supplied CBCS to entities such as S S Industries, Kansal Industries, Nouveta Pharma, Kansal Pharmaceuticals and N K Pharmaceuticals (all operated and controlled by Niket Kansal, resident of Delhi) during 2018-24, to the tune of about Rs 16.74 crore.'

'Part of such illegally diverted CBCS was supplied to Raees Ahmed Bhat, who belongs to Srinagar, from whom large quantities of CBCS were seized on January 14, 2024, by the NCB,' said the ED.

ED investigation further revealed that Vidit Healthcare earned gross profit estimated to be Rs 2.92 crore as Proceeds of Crime from the sale of codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS) to entities operated by Niket Kansal, identified as S S Industries, Kansal Industries, Nouveta Pharma, Kansal Pharmaceuticals and N K Pharmaceuticals.'

Earlier in this case, ED had conducted a search at the premises of Neeraj Bhatia and Niket Kansal on February 13 this year, resulting inthe seizure of cash amounting to Rs 32 lakh and jewellery valued at Rs 1.61 crore from the residential premises of Neeraj Bhatia and in furtherance of investigations. (ANI)