Montu Patel pharmacy case: Cong accuses CBI of weakening case, waited for 2 years to register FIR

New Delhi: The Indian National Congress on Thursday levelled serious allegations against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing the agency of deliberate laxity in probing a multi-crore scam involving the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).

The party alleged that Montu Patel, the PCI Chairman and a BJP functionary, was shielded from arrest despite compelling evidence.

Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters, Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil said that the CBI failed to present the full facts in court, allowing Patel to obtain interim protection from arrest. “Despite irrefutable evidence, the CBI waited for two years to register an FIR and did not even summon or arrest Patel. Instead, they merely spoke to him over the phone,” Gohil said.

The Congress leader pointed to audio recordings, purportedly of bribe negotiations, linked to the recognition of pharmacy colleges, which he said were ignored in the court proceedings. “870 pharmacy colleges were approved in just 13 days without physical inspection. This is not merely administrative negligence—it is a scandal with an estimated value of Rs 5,000 crore,” he said.

He further asserted that Patel’s association with the BJP’s youth wing in Gujarat had influenced the investigation’s trajectory. “The BJP’s influence has ensured that this case is not pursued with the seriousness it warrants,” Gohil remarked, adding that the Prime Minister must answer why Patel continues to hold a position in the party.

Gohil questioned the silence of enforcement agencies, noting that neither the Income Tax Department nor the Enforcement Directorate had conducted raids on Patel’s properties. “Is this the model of zero tolerance to corruption that the Prime Minister speaks of?,” he asked.

In light of the alleged irregularities, the Congress has called for the removal of all BJP-affiliated members from the PCI and the immediate appointment of an interim chairman, a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court.

He further proposed the enactment of a new law to reconstitute the Pharmacy Council, aiming to restore public trust through structural transparency and independent oversight.