- By Shibra Arshad
- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 02:48 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
UP Cough Syrup Controversy: Amid uproar by Samajwadi Party MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Monday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath rejected claims of deaths linked to codeine-containing cough syrups in the state.
Addressing the House, the Chief Minister clarified that no deaths have occurred in Uttar Pradesh due to the use of codeine cough syrups. He stated that the government had contested the matter in court under the NDPS Act.
What Is Codeine Cough Syrup Controversy In UP
A high-scale racket involving illegal storage and sale of codeine-based cough syrup came to light in Uttar Pradesh, creating a major law and order situation. The racket spread across 31 districts had led to dozens of cases across the state.
Parliamentary Affairs and Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said on Saturday that 74 cases have been registered, and 75 people have been arrested so far in connection with the illegal cough syrup racket.
According to the investigation so far, legally manufactured codeine cough syrup were diverted into the black market.
The cough syrup, with codeine as its opioid substance, is regulated due to its potential misuse. The codeine based cough syrups are allowed only for medical use under prescription. However, controversy erupted over the use of syrup as an intoxicant, unmasking a high-scale racket.
UP Cough Syrup Racket Has Links To Jharkhand, West Bengal
As per officials, links of the racket were traced beyond Uttar Pradesh to Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Bihar, as well as cross-border connections with Bangladesh and Nepal. The racket was carried out using fake firms, forged Aadhaar cards, false GST documents, and fake doctors to project authenticity.
The scale of racket was revealed during raids. Officials reportedly seized more than 2.23 crore bottles of codeine-based cough syrup in Varanasi only. The cost of the stock is reportedly estimated at over Rs 100 crore.