BHUBANESWAR: The special task force (STF) of the state Crime Branch on Thursday arrested Siba Prasanna Jena, the main accused of the spurious anti-Covid drugs trade case.
His arrest came a day after his wife Subhalaxmi and two employees were nabbed by the STF for their alleged roles in the offence.
Jena is the managing director of Medilloyd Medicament Private Limited, which had allegedly procured the spurious Favipiravir tablets from Noida-based Max Relief Healthcare in the middle of the Covid pandemic this year.
STF said both the pharma companies connived and conspired to sell the fake drugs in different states, including Odisha.
“The STF achieved a big success by arresting Siba Prasanna Jena, who was the prime accused.
So far, a total four persons have been arrested in connection with the fake drug case and nearly Rs 50 lakh bank deposits of the accused were frozen.
STF’s interstate investigation is in progress,” director general of police Abhay said.
According to the STF, Jena was on the run ever since chief minister Naveen Patnaik ordered the Crime Branch inquiry on June 14 following the seizure of huge quantities of fake drugs from his store in Cuttack by the state drugs control squad on June 10.
He had changed his mobile phones and purchased new SIMs besides hiding himself at different places in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
It was easier for the STF to hunt him down following the arrest of his wife on Wednesday.
His wife is a director of Medilloyd Medicant Private Limited, which he had created in 2012.
Immediately after seizure of the fake drugs from his depot on June 10, Jena had pleaded innocence and passed the buck on Max Relief Healthcare, who was the manufacturer.
The STF sources said Siba Prasanna Jena was director of Opportune Ventures Private Limited, a construction company.
“We are trying to find out whether he diverted any money to this company,” an STF officer said.
The Crime Branch is likely to probe the suspected role and negligence of some drugs control officials behind the racket.
“Though Medilloyd possessed valid licence and was never found doing any illegal trade in the past, this revelation now may raise suspicion about his past record.
He might have been doing this illegal business for a long time.
The drugs control wing raided his depot recently only after being tipped off by the Maharashtra food and drugs administration,” a Crime Branch officer said.