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A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested former Indian Forest Service (IF) officer G. Sathiyamoorthy in connection with the counterfeit drug case in Puducherry.
Police sources said the SIT team arrested Sathiyamoorthy at Hosur in Tamil Nadu and brought him to Puducherry for interrogation. The team had already arrested Raja alias Valliappan, considered the kingpin in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit drugs, and 19 others for their alleged involvement in the case.
Raja had produced drugs under the names of nearly 14 branded companies and distributed them in 16 States. The police recovered ₹2.5 crore in cash and jewellery from Raja’s house. The accused had been previously arrested for a similar offence by the Tamil Nadu police.
The SIT team took Raja into custody recently. During interrogation, the police found that a former official who had opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) had helped Raja pay Goods and Services Tax (GST). Following this, the SIT launched a search for Sathiyamoorthy, who went absconding.
The team tracked Sathiyamoorthy to Hosur and arrested him. He was brought to Puducherry for interrogation on Wednesday (December 24, 2025). Police sources said the former IFS officer had named a few officials serving in the GST office in Puducherry who had reportedly helped him with payments. Steps have been initiated to get permission from the Union government to arrest them.
Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan had, meanwhile, recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the scam.
Published – December 24, 2025 03:51 pm IST
