Hyderabad: DCA busts illegal drugs racket in Secunderabad hospital

DCA officials raided GV Saluja Hospital in Regimental Bazar and found a large illegal storage of narcotic drugs including ketamine hydrochloride, pentazocine and fentanyl.

Hyderabad: In a series of raids conducted here by the drugs control administration (DCA) and state excise department, a major network of an illegal drug syndicate was busted, seizing psychotropic drugs including fentanyl, ketamine, and morphine.

The raids were conducted at the GV Saluja Hospital located at the Regimental Bazar in Secunderabad. The hospital owner, Rajender Singh Saluja, along with the accused hospital staff are absconding, and efforts are underway to arrest them.

During the raid, DCA officials found a large illegal storage of narcotic drugs. Officials seized 98 ampules of fentanyl injections, 20 vials of ketamine hydrochloride injections, 70 ampules of pentazocine injections and other illegally stored drugs from the hospital.

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In addition to the absconding hospital owner, his wife, a medical practitioner Dr Amrutha Singh Saluja and a native of Nagpur named Dinesh are also absconding.

According to the DCA officials, Dinesh is the owner of Pioneer Drug House located at Nehrunagar in Nagpur of Maharashtra, the alleged source of the seized drugs.

Following the raids at the hospital, a resident of Moula Ali, identified as Neha Bhagwath was arrested along with three hospital staff. Bhagwath illegally procured narcotic drugs from unauthorized sources and supplied them to unlicensed persons.

DCA officials raided her residence and seized over a hundred ampules of high-potency psychotropic drugs. She is believed to have sourced these drugs from the Pioneer Drug House, DCA said. She has also been arrested previously under similar charges.

Cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Secunderabad excise station. Further investigations are underway.