Varanasi Court Declares Codeine Kingpin a Fugitive in Latest Case
A local court in Varanasi has officially declared Shubham Jaiswal, the alleged kingpin of a major codeine cough syrup smuggling syndicate, a fugitive in a case filed at the Kotwali police station. This marks the third such declaration, following similar rulings in cases at the Rohaniya and Sarnath police stations.
Court Proceedings and Fugitive Status
On Saturday, the fast-track court of Additional Sessions Judge Manoj Kumar declared Jaiswal a fugitive after he failed to appear for court proceedings. This legal move strengthens the authorities' position in pursuing international action against him.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Kashi Zone, Gaurav Banswal, confirmed that with this fugitive status, authorities will now formally seek Jaiswal's extradition from Dubai, where he is suspected to be hiding. This will be facilitated through a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol.
Massive Asset Seizure Targets Associates
Simultaneously, the Kotwali police have finalized the seizure of properties valued at approximately Rs 22 crore belonging to three of Shubham Jaiswal's key associates. The targeted individuals are:
- Vikas Singh Narwe (currently jailed)
- Prateek Gujarati (currently jailed)
- Prashant Upadhyay (a fugitive)
On the pursuance of the Kotwali police, the court has issued notices for the forfeiture of specific assets from Vikas Singh Narwe, including:
- Immovable property worth Rs 10.19 lakh
- An SUV valued at Rs 25 lakh
- A car worth Rs 4 lakh
- Bank deposits totaling Rs 27,338
The authorities are also set to seize substantial assets from the other associates. This includes Prateek Gujarati's property worth Rs 1.38 crore and a bank balance of Rs 50,625, as well as Prashant Upadhyay's property valued at Rs 20.04 crore and a bank balance of Rs 44.20 lakh.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vijay Pratap Singh stated that "the seizure is court-ordered and will be executed imminently."
Background of the Smuggling Racket
The case originates from October 2025, when the Sonbhadra Police busted a racket involved in smuggling codeine-based cough syrup to countries like Bangladesh for narcotic purposes. The first formal case against Shubham Jaiswal and 27 other accused was lodged in Varanasi on November 15, 2025.
Since then, significant progress has been made:
- Shubham Jaiswal's father, Bhola Prasad, and several other accused have been arrested.
- Properties worth several crores belonging to many accused have already been forfeited by the authorities.
- Police continue to hunt for Jaiswal's remaining accomplices, aiming to dismantle the financial empire built with illicit earnings from the codeine syrup trade.
DCP Varuna Zone, Pramod Kumar, added that the process to issue a Red Corner Notice against Jaiswal is already underway for the Rohaniya and Sarnath cases, following his fugitive status in those matters as well.
The coordinated legal and financial actions represent a major crackdown on the syndicate, with authorities leveraging fugitive declarations to enable international extradition and comprehensive asset seizures to cripple the network's operations.
