NCB seal Xponse, 350 lose jobs

Kolkata, Feb 14 (UNI) Some 350 professionals of Xponse Technologies Ltd.have lost their job today after the Narcotics Control Bureau sealed the Kolkata office of the company, even as its CEO continue to be lodged in jail custody.

The extent of involvement of the owner Sanjay Kedia in international drug racket is subjected to court proceedings, but the incident has put the state government in a spot of bother.

IT Minister Debesh Das said, ''We are helpless. We are sypathetic to the employees. But it is not possible for us to keep vigil over all the IT companies nor can you blame the sector for a couple of companies like this.'' It is assumed by Narcotics Control Bureau that Sanjay Kedia used to earn more than Rs two crore per month through his drug racket. The Delhi IIT alumnus launched his company only five years back and in this brief period it has become a company with turnover amounting to Rs 10,000 crore.

Sanjay Kedia is currently at Dum Dum Central Correctional Home.

Back in his office at Sector five of Salt Lake city the employees were desperate to prove their innocence, even as the company was shut down.

Arrest of an IT professional for selling out confidential data and now arrest of an owner of IT company in an illicit drug cartel have put questions on the IT initiative of West Bengal Government.

The IT park of Salt Lake near Kolkata claimed 17 per cent growth last year which is highest in the country.

The man, who is in the limelight for pharma drug scandal, was all set to tell his side of story here today in a press conference to be addressed by his company officials. However, before that could happen, the office of Xponse Technologies was sealed.

Kedia was arrested following a tip-off by the US drug enforcement agencies. Xponse Technologies is a software development firm and a BPO with an employee strength of more than 350 people.

The Kolkata-based company is located in Salt Lake's Sector V.

NCB raids on Xponse revealed 20 international&Indian bank accounts in the company's name. Xponse used to receive demand calls for medical supplies and re-route it to local pharmacists.

The charges that are levied against Kedia are of trafficking of psychotropic substances (Phentermine) through the internet in coordination with his US-based accomplice, Steven Mahana.

Kedia was arrested on February 11 and has been booked under Sec 24, 29, 30 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) 1985 - an act which sets out the statutory framework for Drug Law Enforcement in India. However, after a court hearing, he has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

UNI