Patiala:
Patiala police have booked Dr. Amit Bansal — operator of 22 private de-addiction centres across 16 districts in Punjab — for the illegal sale of more than 31,000 narcotic tablets. The action follows his earlier arrest in January by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), which had triggered a state-wide investigation into his facilities.
On April 16, Patiala police registered a case under several sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 — specifically Sections 22, 25, 26, 29, and 32 — after receiving reports from a three-member committee of the Patiala Health Department and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
Massive Irregularities at Adarsh Hospital Exposed
Investigations revealed staggering irregularities at Adarsh Hospital in Patiala, one of Bansal’s centres. Between April 1 and November 13, 2024, the hospital reportedly sold close to 26 lakh narcotic tablets — averaging around 11,000 tablets per day, despite having only 55 patients on record.
The Health Department’s report, accessed by Hindustan Times, outlined the illegal sale of:
- 18,548 tablets of Buprenorphine 2mg + Naloxone 0.5mg
- 13,951 tablets of Buprenorphine 0.4mg + Naloxone 0.1mg
- 1,000 tablets of ADDNOK N, among other controlled substances
The SDM’s parallel inquiry confirmed the sale of narcotics without records, forged patient data, and major discrepancies in stock maintenance.
Additional Charges Under New Penal Code
Alongside NDPS charges, Dr. Bansal now faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — Sections 336 (endangering human life) and 340(2) (forgery).
Following Bansal’s January arrest, the state health department suspended the licences of all 22 centres on January 13. While he was granted bail in March by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, law enforcement agencies have intensified their probe.
Patiala police have launched raids to arrest Bansal in connection with the ongoing investigation into the broader misuse of prescription narcotics across his network.
