Biocon case: CBI files charge sheet against 5

wThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against all the five accused in a bribery case involving Bengaluru-based Biocon Biologics.

They include an official of the biosimilar subsidiary of Biocon, a top official of drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), an alleged conduit, and two other individuals.

The agency in its charge sheet filed last week has annexed alleged incriminating WhatsApp texts exchanged between alleged conduit (a woman) in the case and the accused official of Biocon Biologics to buttress its charges, people aware of the matter told ET.


It is alleged that the Director of a Delhi based company (Bioinnovat Research) hired by Bengaluru-based Biocon's subsidiary Biocon Biologics for securing regulatory approvals bribed government officials to facilitate product approvals for Biocon Biologics, an allegation the Bengaluru based drug maker has denied.

According to people cited above, CBI has gathered "more evidence" to corroborate its charges of bribery.

A Biocon Biologics spokesperson on Wednesday told ET, "Biocon has not received a copy of the chargesheet yet; hence we cannot comment further."

The person added, "The company has not made any payments to Bioinnovat Research, or any other party named to facilitate the alleged bribe to the CDSCO official. We deny other allegations of wrongdoings in seeking approval for Insulin Aspart under existing provisions and precedence. We reiterate our confidence in the judicial system and have fully cooperated with the investigating agency."

CBI in its charge sheet has alleged that the agenda for seeking waiver of phase-III clinical trial for a drug was included as an additional agenda in the subject expert committee (SEC) of CDSCO held on May 18.

A special CBI Court has not yet taken cognisance of the charge sheet. A decision on cognisance is likely to be taken on Friday, people cited above said.

CBI had in June arrested S Eswara Reddy, joint drug controller at Central CDSCO, L Praveen Kumar, Biocon Biologics head of national regulatory affairs, Animesh Kumar, an assistant drug inspector of CDSCO, and two others including a woman Guljit Sethi who allegedly acted as a conduit.

A local court had last month denied bail to all the five accused, calling the allegations against them as "not only serious...but of grave nature".