4 months on, ED awaits details on misuse of buprenorphine

Tribune News Service

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Jalandhar, July 6

More than four months have passed since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had sought details from the state government regarding the misuse of 5 crore tablets of buprenorphine drug by private de-addiction centres, officials of the investigation agency are still awaiting information.

The tablets that had gone missing between January 2019 and November 2019 are estimated to be worth Rs 200 crore.

In mid-February, the officials had asked the government to send details about the 67 centres, which were issued show-cause notices by the Health Department. They had sought copies of notices sent to the centres under the NDPS Act.

A senior official confirmed that no information had come from the health authorities in the last four months despite reminders. Health Minister Balbir Sidhu said: “Two inquiries are being conducted into the matter, including one by the Special Task Force (STF) of the police. It will take some more time.”

Similarly, in the case of illegal liquor trade, the state functionaries had not allowed the Central agency to probe the matter.