Rs 27 lakh confiscated, BBN drug firms under scanner

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, November 25

Pharmaceutical firms of the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh have come under the scanner with the Crime Branch of the Delhi police tracing the links of a currency exchange case to its owner.

Reportedly, the Delhi police had arrested two persons - Ajit Pal Singh and Rajender Singh - with Rs 27 lakh of new currency notes from the Hazrat Nizammudin railway station last evening and this cash was procured by exchanging old demonetised currency notes.

They revealed to the investigating agencies — police, IT and intelligence officials — that the money belonged to one Sanjay Malik, who owns a pharmaceutical company at Baddi. The police was now on the lookout for Malik.

Inquires conducted from the officials of the Drug Control Administration, Baddi, however, revealed that no such person owned any pharmaceutical unit in the BBN in the official records. Sources in the Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association also denied having any knowledge about any such person owing a unit in the BBN area though they said he could be involved in the pharmaceutical trading business. Drug Controller, Navneet Marwaha, when contacted, said no such person owned a pharmaceutical unit in the official records and he added that he had not received any communication as yet from any investigative official.

The area houses about 2,000 industrial units and sources in the industry did confirm that agents offering to exchange old currency at 25 to 30 per cent commission were doing the rounds here after announcement of the demonetisation policy. Law enforcing agencies were, however, yet to trace any such case in the area.