Amritsar: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two doctors from a private hospital in Amritsar for allegedly supplying illegal tramadol tablets to other hospitals in the city. A retired government doctor, who is reportedly a key link in the supply network, is absconding, prompting the agency to intensify its manhunt.
NCB Launches Probe; Retired Doctor on the Run
The NCB identified the absconding doctor as a co-accused in the case. According to officials, he appeared for questioning only once despite being summoned twice. Raids are underway to trace his whereabouts. The arrested doctors, Dr. Rajesh Kumar and Dr. Parveen, will be produced in court tomorrow for police remand and further interrogation.
Illegal Tramadol Supply Chain Exposed
Tramadol, an opioid pain medication, is a psychotropic substance under Section 8(c) of the NDPS Act, 1985. Its sale and distribution are tightly regulated. The drug was officially notified as a psychotropic substance in 2018 by the Government of India, following a surge in its abuse for non-medical purposes.
Connection to Previous Arrests
According to The Tribune, the latest arrests are part of a larger crackdown initiated after the detention of hospital owner Baudh Raj and several other doctors — including Dr. Jatinder Malhotra and Dr. Rajinder Rajan. Their bail plea is currently pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, scheduled for hearing on October 9.
More Accused Linked to Drug Supply Network
The investigation dates back to May 6, 2025, when multiple individuals, including a web journalist and pharmaceutical company owner Deepak Bhandari along with his brother Amit Bhandari, were arrested. Several other members of the Bhandari family were also named in the charge sheet for their alleged involvement in the illegal distribution of psychotropic drugs.
Massive Drug Seizures Reported
During the initial crackdown, NCB officials seized over 30,000 tramadol tablets from Amit Bhandari on May 2, 2025. A day later, Dr. Malhotra and Dr. Rajan were also arrested after 2,000 tramadol tablets each were recovered from their possession without valid medical licences.
Expanding Network Under Scrutiny
Authorities suspect that the doctors were part of an organized medical supply ring that diverted prescription-only drugs into the illegal market. Investigators are examining whether the same network was connected to other recent narcotics seizures in Punjab.
Punjab Police Crack Down on Psychotropic Drug Trade
In a related development, the Punjab Police recently seized over 1.08 lakh tramadol tablets from a man identified as Jobanjit Singh alias Joban in Amritsar. The latest arrests further underline growing concerns about the misuse of prescription drugs and the urgent need for tighter monitoring of pharmaceutical supply chains.
