The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail statements of three key defendants in the Sandalwood drug case: Canadian actor Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjanaa Galrani aka Mahira and jeweler Prashanth Ranka.
All three, along with several others, had been arrested by the Office of Narcotics Control (NC) under various sections of the NDPS Act. The Central Crime Section of the Bengaluru Police and the OCN had jointly arrested Ragini on 14 September and Sanjjanaa two days later. The petitioners’ lawyer argued that no evidence was found against them and that they should be released immediately.
However, the prosecution attorney argued that since the digital evidence had been collected and processed, and since all of the defendants are influential people, any release could lead to the destruction of the evidence and thus, He prayed for their continued custody.
After hearing all the arguments, Judge Srinivasa Harish Kumar rejected the defendant’s release on bail. All three, except the seven other defendants, are housed in Parappana Agrahara Prison, outside Bengaluru.
Some of the defendants named in the charge sheet, including Aditya Alva, brother-in-law of Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, are on the run.
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