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| No bail for pharma dealer accused in multi-state cartel | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 28: In a strongly worded order that sent shockwaves across enforcement circles, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Thursday dismissed the bail plea of pharmaceutical drug licence holder Garv Bhambri, accused of playing a key role in a pan-India narcotics trafficking network operating under the guise of legitimate medicine manufacturing.
Justice Shahzad Azeem ruled that the case involves commercial quantity of Codeine-Based Cough Syrup and psychotropic substances, leaving no room for leniency under Section 37 of the NDPS Act. The Court noted that the racket poses a direct and deadly threat to the youth, and that the material collected during the probe prima facie reveals a structured drug cartel functioning in the pharmaceutical sector.
According to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), seemingly regular pharmaceutical firms were allegedly acting as fronts for drug trafficking through shell companies, forged invoices, financial trails and coordinated digital communication. Investigators allege that firms including M/s N.K Pharmaceutical (licensed in the name of Bhambri), Vidit Healthcare and S.S. Industries formed a chain of illicit drug production and interstate supply, stretching its tentacles from India to Dubai and Bangkok.
The case intensified after seizure of over 300 bottles of Codeine syrup, thousands of banned tablets and Rs 15.03 lakh in cash, which led to detailed scrutiny of bank accounts, financial transfers, mobile chats and CDRs linking the accused companies to one another.
Justice Shahzad Azeem remarked that drug trafficking disguised as pharmaceutical business represents “a sophisticated business model of addiction and destruction”, adding that those running such cartels “inflict a death blow on countless young lives” and therefore cannot be shown any sympathy at the bail stage.
The Court also held that the accused cannot seek parity with some co-accused who were granted bail or discharge by the trial court, noting that those orders have been challenged for violation of statutory provisions.
Concluding that the twin conditions of Section 37 NDPS Act remain unsatisfied, the High Court dismissed the bail application of Garv Bhambri, reiterating that the alleged narco-network run through pharmaceutical licences appears to be a well-planned criminal conspiracy motivated by massive illicit gains (JNF) |
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