Back in the year 2013, Punjab's infamous drug racket took a darker toll than anyone could anticipate. As officers walked into a normal looking pharmaceutical factory in Karnal, Haryana, they found approximately ₹80-₹100 crore worth of banned synthetic drugs.
The time was quite fragile when this case took surface because of Punjab's fight against addiction. It wasn’t just the amount of drugs that were seized that shocked investigators. It was what they found, legal pharmaceutical salts being processed for illegal use.
Prescription-strength painkiller medicines were packaged not for healing but for high profits. The scam was one of the most complicated cases because these drugs didn't reach to the addicts through dark alleys and questionable packages. Instead they were packaged in premium cases that were otherwise used to sell legal looking tablets.
The Karnal plant was licensed to produce medicines however it was producing codeine phosphate and diphenoxylate hydrochloride, powerful narcotic ingredients.
A medicine used to relieve moderate to severe pain. These drugs act like opiates such as morphine and codeine, but they are not derived from opium. They work by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. Today, narcotics are commonly referred to as opioids.
Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances serve important functions in medicine and scientific research, yet at the same time they are vulnerable to misuse and illicit trafficking. India’s framework for managing them is grounded in Article 47 of the Constitution, which directs the State to strive for the prohibition of consumption of intoxicating substances except when used for medical purposes.
Codeine Phosphate
Codeine is an opioid pain medicine used for mild to moderate pain.
It works by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord.
It can also suppress cough and slow down digestion.
Codeine is less potent than morphine but still carries risks like drowsiness and dependence.
The body converts some codeine into morphine, which helps create its pain-relieving effect.
Diphenoxylate Hydrochloride
Diphenoxylate is an opioid-like drug used to slow intestinal movement and treat severe diarrhoea.
It activates opioid receptors in the gut, reducing secretions and increasing fluid absorption.
At high doses it can affect the central nervous system and cause opioid-type effects.
To reduce abuse risk it is often paired with a small dose of atropine.
It is regulated as a controlled substance due to its opioid nature and potential for misuse.
The police was shocked to find Parvon Forte, Spasmo Proxyvon, and other synthetic along with the above opioids that have long been abused as “legal highs.”
They sold these pills in Punjab under the guise of pain medicines, feeding into an already addicted youth.
Synthetic drugs are also called new psychoactive substances, they are lab-made chemicals designed to imitate the effects of illegal drugs like cannabis, cocaine, or ecstasy.
Their chemical formulas are often customizable to slip past drug laws, so users can never truly know what they are taking or how potent it is.
What began as a pharmaceutical scandal soon revealed a complex nexus of commerce and politics.
Reports, including a detailed investigation by The Caravan, pointed toward alleged direct or indirect support from influential political figures. Names like Bikram Singh Majithia, a senior leader in Punjab, surfaced repeatedly instatements made by co-accused and smugglers.
Confession statements suggest he introduced Canadian-based traffickers to contacts in India who manufactured chemicals used in synthetic drugs. However, investigators couldn’t find direct proof of his involvement, which made them question whether they had consciously or unconsciously overlooked key details during the investigation.
Years later in June of 2025, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Majithia at his home in Amritsar in connection with a disproportionate assets case. The case was linked to alleged laundering of around ₹540 crore that investigators believe flowed from the very 2013 synthetic-drug trafficking network.
There were raids at multiple locations, where police seized digital devices, financial records and property documents, forming part of the evidence against him.
The case intensified after a 40,000-page chargesheet was filed in August 2025, incorporating statements from more than 200 witnesses and financial audit findings.
Majithia, who has held ministerial positions in Punjab, has denied the allegations and described them as politically driven.
What triggered Punjab’s synthetic-drug crisis?
The 2013 raid at a pharmaceutical unit in Karnal, Haryana, uncovered large quantities of banned synthetic drugs and revealed how legal pharmaceutical ingredients were being diverted into the illicit market, marking a turning point in Punjab’s drug crisis.
What makes codeine and diphenoxylate narcotic substances?
Both interact with opioid receptors in the brain and gut, producing pain relief but also dependence and abuse potential.
Has Bikram Singh Majithia been convicted?
As of November 2025, the case is ongoing, with Majithia denying all allegations and calling them politically motivated.
References:
1. Bal, Hartosh Singh. “The Confessions of the Punjab Synthetic-Drug Racket Accused Point to the Involvement of Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.” The Caravan, January 11, 2017.
2. Narcotics Control Bureau. “Home.” Government of India. Accessed November 3, 2025. https://narcoticsindia.nic.in/
3. Jupinderjit Singh. “Punjab Governor Sanctions Majithia’s Prosecution in Disproportionate Assets Case.” The Tribune, November 2, 2025. Accessed November 3, 2025. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjab-governor-sanctions-majithias-prosecution-in-disproportionate-assets-case/.\
4. Codeine.” DrugBank. Accessed November 3, 2025. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00318
5. Diphenoxylate — An Overview.” ScienceDirect Topics, Elsevier. Accessed November 3, 2025. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/diphenoxylate
6. “Synthetic drugs.” Better Health Channel, Government of Victoria. Accessed November 3, 2025. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/synthetic-drugs
7. NewsOnAir. “Punjab: SAD Leader Bikram Singh Majithia Sent to 7-Day Police Remand in ₹540 Cr Drug-Money Laundering Case.” NewsOnAir, June 26, 2025. https://www.newsonair.gov.in/punjab-sad-leader-bikram-majithia-sent-to-7-day-police-remand-in-%E2%82%B9540-cr-drug-money-laundering-case/
Edited by M Subha Maheswari
