Kathmandu, July 31
Conspiracies are underway to get Ratan Sanghai, caught on the charge of trying to sell chemicals used in the production of medicines to narcotic drug smugglers, off the hook, police said on Sunday.
Police had caught Sanghai from Koteshwor, Kathmandu, on Saturday.
After arrest, police have taken Sanghai to the Kathmandu district court for the extension of his judicial custody. On his part, Sanghai has demanded a hearing on whether or not the court should extend his custody. Sanghai has sought his lawyer’s service for the same.
Three days ago, a team from the Narcotics Control Bureau had raided and seized 29,74,000 tablets used in the production of narcotic drugs from Sanghai Plastic Industries based in Patan Industrial Estate while the sale of the consignment to drug smugglers was underway.
RA Pharma, belonging to Ratan’s brother Pawan Sanghai, was the alleged importer of those tablets. Pawan is said to be at large.
An officer at the bureau says the seized consignment is enough to produce 71 kg of Amphetamine, a narcotic drug.
The bureau raided the industries based on information that chemicals imported in the name of producing medicines are exported to countries like China and India for producing narcotic drugs.
The bureau claims that at the time of the raid, preparations were on to push those tablets to China and India in a white box. Said a bureau officer: The chemicals were in a white box and there was no label on it. This means the consignment was for drug smugglers.
The seized consignment is worth Rs 1.32 billion. An NCB official said: After such a large seizure, it seems, efforts are on to influence the bid to extend (Sanghai’s) judicial custody.
