Foul play? Possible
Initial investigations by the Delhi police point to “cocaine overdose” as the cause for Vivek Moitra’s death and Rahul’s current condition, even as foul play is not being ruled out.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Initial investigations by the Delhi police point to “cocaine overdose” as the cause for Vivek Moitra’s death and Rahul’s current condition, even as foul play is not being ruled out.
Moitra, informed sources said, was a drug user and is said to have been in touch with drug dealers. It’s suspected that the three visitors to 7, Safdarjang Road on Thursday night may have been drug dealers.
According to sources involved in the investigation, the two security guards — belonging to Puja Security Services — posted at the Mahajan residence are said to have been instructed by Moitra to let the three unidentified visitors in.
The visitors, who allegedly consumed champagne along with Moitra and Rahul, were there till mid-night. They asked the domestic aides to take the Moitra and Rahul to the hospital after the two complained of uneasiness and vomiting. They left soon after. While doctors at the Apollo Hospital declared Moitra brought dead, Rahul was revived by administering electric shocks.
Investigations now centre on establishing the identity of these late-night visitors and tracking them down for interrogation. “We are trying to ascertain the identities of the three and investigations are on in that direction,” additional DCP (New Delhi) Manish Aggarwal told reporters here on Friday.
Meanwhile, the other private secretary of the late Pramod Mahajan, Harish Sharma, was on Friday summoned by the police for questioning. The guards and domestic helps present at the scene of the incidents are also being cross-examined. The cellphone records of Moitra and Rahul are also under scrutiny.
A forensic team visited Mahajan residence on Friday morning and collected some samples. Although the scene of the incident was “disturbed” with the two servants present there having removed the champagne glasses and cleaned up Moitra’s and Rahul’s vomit from the floor, a polythene pack containing some “white powder” was found. The contents, suspected to be cocaine, have been sent for chemical examination.
The inquest into Moitra’s death is expected to establish the source of his intoxication and whether it was an overdose of cocaine that resulted in his death. The investigations also hinge on Rahul Mahajan’s statement, although he is still not in a condition to record the same. According to the latest medical bulletin put out by Apollo Hospital, his condition is “critical but stable”. He is on ventilator, but all his vital parameters are normal.
“Whether the poisoning happened because of stale eatables or some poisonous substance was mixed with the food (they had) cannot be said at the moment,” spokesman of the hospital Karan Thakur said.
Moitra, informed sources said, was a drug user and is said to have been in touch with drug dealers. It’s suspected that the three visitors to 7, Safdarjang Road on Thursday night may have been drug dealers.
According to sources involved in the investigation, the two security guards — belonging to Puja Security Services — posted at the Mahajan residence are said to have been instructed by Moitra to let the three unidentified visitors in.
The visitors, who allegedly consumed champagne along with Moitra and Rahul, were there till mid-night. They asked the domestic aides to take the Moitra and Rahul to the hospital after the two complained of uneasiness and vomiting. They left soon after. While doctors at the Apollo Hospital declared Moitra brought dead, Rahul was revived by administering electric shocks.
Investigations now centre on establishing the identity of these late-night visitors and tracking them down for interrogation. “We are trying to ascertain the identities of the three and investigations are on in that direction,” additional DCP (New Delhi) Manish Aggarwal told reporters here on Friday.
Meanwhile, the other private secretary of the late Pramod Mahajan, Harish Sharma, was on Friday summoned by the police for questioning. The guards and domestic helps present at the scene of the incidents are also being cross-examined. The cellphone records of Moitra and Rahul are also under scrutiny.
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A forensic team visited Mahajan residence on Friday morning and collected some samples. Although the scene of the incident was “disturbed” with the two servants present there having removed the champagne glasses and cleaned up Moitra’s and Rahul’s vomit from the floor, a polythene pack containing some “white powder” was found. The contents, suspected to be cocaine, have been sent for chemical examination.
The inquest into Moitra’s death is expected to establish the source of his intoxication and whether it was an overdose of cocaine that resulted in his death. The investigations also hinge on Rahul Mahajan’s statement, although he is still not in a condition to record the same. According to the latest medical bulletin put out by Apollo Hospital, his condition is “critical but stable”. He is on ventilator, but all his vital parameters are normal.
“Whether the poisoning happened because of stale eatables or some poisonous substance was mixed with the food (they had) cannot be said at the moment,” spokesman of the hospital Karan Thakur said.
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