Out of the frying pan into the fire: Rahul's travails continue

NEW DELHI: Rahul, the son of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, arrested on charges of drug abuse, was on Tuesday remanded to two days police custody by a Delhi court after the police sought his custodial interrogation to ascertain the sources from whom he procured the narcotics.

Rahul, who was produced amidst tight security before Metropolitan Magistrate AK Chaturvedi, was remanded to police custody till June 8 after the police claimed he had admitted in his disclosure statement to have consumed drugs, besides having “given” narcotics to others.

The court allowed only two days police custody of Rahul after his defence counsel pointed out that the FIR was very “vague” and failed to specify the exact quantity of drugs alleged to have been consumed by him.

The police argued that “giving” drugs to others was tantamount to “distribution”, thereby making Rahul culpable under section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, which allows for punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs.

However, appearing for Rahul, counsel Sunil Mittal vociferously attacked the prosecution’s reluctance to come clean over the quantity of drugs involved and the lack of clarity on which sub-clause of section 21 he had been booked under, which could determine the nature of the offence (bailable or non-bailable) and the quantum of punishment.

In response, police said investigations were still at a preliminary stage, and that reports of chemical examiners were awaited, after which only the quantity could be ascertained. During arguments, Mr Mittal contended that the police were “shirking from responsibility and were unwilling to collect evidence properly in the case”.

He also argued that the drugs had been planted upon Rahul by investigating officials, and later, speaking to reporters outside the court, accused the police of being evasive in their application and not coming out with full facts.

Rahul has been booked under NDPS sections 21 (contravention in relation to manufactured drugs), 25 (allowing premises to be used for commission of an offence), 27 (illegal possession in small quantity for personal consumption of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances) and 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy), besides section 201 (destruction of evidence), and 34 (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), IPC.

While Vivek Maitra, a key aide of the late BJP leader, died in suspicious circumstances in the early hours of June 2, Rahul was admitted to Apollo Hospital in a critical state that same morning soon after a late night party at his 7, Safdarjung Road residence.

In connection with this case, police have already arrested Sahil Zaroo, who allegedly bought drugs for Rahul and Maitra, and three Nigerian drug pedlars on charges of supplying drugs. While Zaroo is in police custody till June 12, the Nigerians — Abdulla, Ebraim, and James Tobu — are in custody till June 15.