Chemist Accused in Alprazolam Drug Network Under Probe for Funding Wife's Election Win
Medical Negligence
New Delhi: A PhD holder in organic chemistry from Medak district in Telangana has come under investigation by anti-drug authorities for allegedly funding his wife's successful gram panchayat election campaign while facing multiple cases linked to the manufacture of synthetic drugs.
The development comes more than a year after investigators attached properties worth nearly ₹30 crore belonging to the accused as part of a crackdown on an alleged synthetic drug network. Despite the attachment of these assets, officials are examining how he managed to mobilise funds and spend extensively during the election campaign that led to his wife winning the sarpanch post.
According to investigators, the accused has been arrested three times since 2021 in connection with the alleged manufacture of the synthetic drug alprazolam. In total, four criminal cases have been registered against him by Medak and Cyberabad police. Officials suspect that the chemist played an active role in managing and financing the campaign despite being out on bail after spending nearly six months in jail before his release in October 2025.
Authorities stated that the election campaign reportedly involved heavy spending, with villagers allegedly being served food and liquor for nearly two weeks during the poll period. Investigators from the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) suspect that the accused may have channelled money through benami or proxy individuals after his assets were attached by the court.
Earlier investigations into the alleged narcotics network revealed that alprazolam produced by the accused was distributed through toddy compounds in and around Medak district. The distribution was allegedly carried out with the help of his brother-in-law, a police constable, who is accused of providing daily sales updates to the network.
Investigators found during the probe that several toddy outlets were used to mix alprazolam with toddy before selling it to customers. Officials noted that one kilogram of alprazolam could fetch around ₹10 lakh in the bulk market, while a single gram of the drug could be used to spike nearly 2,000 bottles of toddy.
Authorities also alleged that the accused manufactured the drug using the premises of different companies located in areas such as Vijayawada and Cherlapally. In one of the cases registered against him, he is suspected of producing nearly 80 kg of alprazolam.
According to a media report by The Times of India, investigators also noted that the wife’s candidature in the sarpanch election was supported by a political party while officials continue to examine the financial trail of the election campaign.
Officials are continuing their investigation to determine how the accused managed to finance the campaign despite facing multiple criminal cases and the attachment of assets linked to the alleged drug manufacturing activities.
