CBI arrests joint drugs controller, two others in Biocon bribery case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Joint Drugs Controller S. Eswara Reddy for allegedly receiving a Rs 4 lakh bribe to waive the phase three clinical trial of the Insulin Aspart injection, a product of Biocon Biologics under development to manage Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, officials said on Tuesday, June 21.

Biocon Biologics is a subsidiary of the Kiran Mazumdar Shaw-led Biocon. The company has denied allegations.

The agency has also arrested Dinesh Dua, director at Synergy Network India Private Limited, who was allegedly giving Reddy a bribe, they said.

After completing the necessary paperwork, the CBI arrested Reddy and Dua, nabbed during a trap operation on Monday while the alleged bribe exchange was going on, the officials said.

The CBI has also booked Associate Vice President and Head-National Regulatory Affairs (NRA), Biocon Biologics Limited, Bangalore, L. Praveen Kumar, as well as Director, Bioinnovat Research Services Private Limited, Delhi, Guljit Sethi in the case under the Indial Penal Code (IPC) sections dealing with criminal conspiracy and corruption. PTI