Son of jailed kingpin arrested in Rs 100 crore codeine cough syrup racket

• Shivam Agarwal, son of jailed kingpin Vinod Agarwal, arrested in Kanpur for alleged role in codeine-based cough syrup trafficking.
• Shivam, a chartered accountant, carried a Rs 25,000 reward and was absconding for five months.
• The racket supplied codeine-laced cough syrup across several states and Bangladesh, involving an estimated 1.12 crore bottles over two years.
• Investigators uncovered shell companies, fake billing, and transactions worth Rs 42 crore, with the total racket estimated at Rs 100 crore.
• Properties worth Rs 9 crore seized; investigation ongoing with focus on consignments from Himachal Pradesh and Panipat.

Key Questions Answered

How did the codeine racket expand so quickly?

The codeine racket expanded rapidly due to its large-scale trafficking network across several states and even Bangladesh.

What are the next steps in this investigation?

The West Bengal Home Department will inform the Chief Electoral Officer by April 5, 2026, about the actions taken regarding protests at the CEO's office.

Will more arrests be made in this case?

Yes, more arrests are likely in the Kanpur kidney transplant racket case. One accused remains at large in the retired brigadier's murder case and will be arrested shortly.