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| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday (January 23, 2026) initiated attachment proceedings against movable and immovable assets worth around ₹28.50 crore belonging to Bhola Prasad, the prime accused in a codeine-based cough syrup smuggling case, following court orders, officials said.
The attachment was carried out at three different locations in Varanasi under the supervision of Sonbhadra City Circle Officer Randhir Kumar Mishra, police said.
Prasad, a resident of Varanasi Commissionerate area, is currently lodged in Sonbhadra district jail.
Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Verma said during the special investigation team’s probe into the illegal trade of cough syrup containing codeine, it was found that the main accused had been operating an organised syndicate and amassed assets worth about ₹28.50 crore through the illicit business.
Based on the findings, the properties were identified, and a report was submitted to the court seeking attachment under Section 107 (attachment, forfeiture, or restoration of property derived from criminal activity) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Considering the evidence, the court issued attachment orders on Thursday (January 22), after which a police team was sent to Varanasi, and the process began, Mr. Verma said.
According to police, the attached assets include two fixed deposit receipts worth ₹1,13,93,276 in Indian Bank’s Sampurnanand Sanskrit University branch in Varanasi, while two other bank accounts with a balance of ₹6,89,607 were debit-frozen.
The attachment also covers a Mercedes-Benz car with an estimated current value of ₹1.22 crore, and two residential houses in Varanasi purchased in February 2023 for ₹3.03 crore in the name of Prasad’s wife, Sharda Jaiswal.
A building in the Bhelupur area of Varanasi, bought in July 2025 for ₹23 crore in his wife’s name, has also been attached, police said.
Earlier, the accused was arrested at Dum Dum Airport in Kolkata with the help of Kolkata police while he was attempting to flee abroad, officials said.
The SP said the attachment proceedings were carried out on Friday under the directions of the Varanasi district magistrate, with teams led by the sub-divisional magistrate of Pindra, Varanasi, and the Sonbhadra city circle officer.
He added that strict action would continue against those involved in the illegal cough syrup trade.
Uttar Pradesh authorities are currently investigating a wider racket related to illegal stocking and trade of codeine-based cough syrup, suspected to be worth hundreds of crores and spread even outside the State.
Published – January 23, 2026 05:57 pm IST
