Ex-constable's mansion in Lucknow draws focus in UP cough syrup racket: Who is Alok Pratap Singh?

THe cough-syrup smuggling cozenage busted in Uttar Pradesh has all the john roy major elements of a law-breaking thriller — a swelled list estimated at ₹1,000 crore; dramatic raids conducted by police and central agencies; and an international link. But at the centre of it now, is a mansion of a dismissed police constable in Lucknow. His name is Alok Pratap Singh.When the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out multiple raids across three states as part of its money laundering probe linked with the cough syrup racket, videos of the outside of the palatial house went viral soon after. ED officials told reporters it was apparent that crores have been spent on it.Also read | ‘Yeh constable ka ghar hai?’: UP ex-cop's fancy Lucknow home draws shock & awePainted a light cream with some yellow or golden highlights, the two-floor house is not far from the upscale Gomti Nagar Extension area of the state capital. Spread over 7,000 square feet, it is located in Ahmamau, near the Lucknow-Sultanpur highway.Several social media users shared videos from outside the house.Tall pillars, ornate metal railings, and big balconies are visible immediately. The ground floor has tall windows, carved wooden frames and vintage-style lamps lighting the wide porch. There is also a covered parking area next to it, as per The Indian Express. The house features a spiral staircase and wide metal, lined with plant pots.Alok Pratap Singh was arrested in Lucknow around 10 days ago, and is currently in the Lucknow jail.ED officials did not speak to the media, but a senior local police officer was quoted as saying that Alok Pratap was living in the house with his family “for some time”.The ED has reportedly engaged a government-approved evaluator to assess the cost of the house, including the interiors. Preliminary inquiry suggests the construction cost alone is around ₹5 crore, which excludes the land value, said the Express report.It was not clear from reports so far if Alok has family money to fund such a house.What is Alok Pratap's role in cough syrup scam?The police probe in a batch of cases linked to the cough syrup racket the Special Task Force (STF), which is probing one of the cases, to Alok Pratap Singh, who was arrested a short distance from his home on December 2.He is alleged to be part of an illegal network and operated two wholesale drug units, one each in UP and Jharkhand.While the UP police is probing the main case, the central agency ED is probing the money laundering angle.Alok Pratap Singh no stranger to spotlight, why he was dismissedAlok Pratap Singh is originally from Chandauli in UP. Having joined the police force over two decades ago, he was arrested in 2006 along with six others for allegedly looting 4-kg gold from an employee of a businessman. He was dismissed from service for this case, but was reinstated when acquitted by a court due to lack of evidence.After rejoining, his name cropped up in complaints of misconduct, including allegations of assaulting people, IE reported. And that when, based on these complaints, he was dismissed from service again in 2019.He then became a contractor, and further developed connections with politically influential people and businesspersons.What is the cough syrup case?The whole racket started coming to light in February of 2024, after the state government formed a joint investigation team to probe allegations that cough syrup and other codeine-based medicines, which are supposed to be sold only on a doctor's prescription, were being traded as intoxicants, and smuggled across states and into neighbouring countries Bangladesh and Nepal too.More than 120 FIRs have been registered, and 32 people have been arrested. The prime accused is Shubham Jaiswal, who is believed to have fled to Dubai with his family.