New Delhi, Nov. 1 -- A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court at Rouse Avenue on Saturday discharged Dr. S. Eswara Reddy, former joint drugs controller at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), and three others in a 2022 bribery case linked to Bengaluru-based Biocon Biologics Ltd.

Mint previously reported Reddy's arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over allegations of demanding and accepting bribes to clear regulatory approvals. Reddy was among the shortlisted contenders for the country's top Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) post in 2022.

In a 60-page order, the court noted that the allegations failed to raise even mere suspicion, let alone grave suspicion, ruling that the CBI could...