Hyderabad drugs case: Accused number 2 gets bail, hopes rise for other accused
Hyderabad: Are the drug cases against Tollywood actors on weak ground? Accused No. 2 Nikhil Shetty was granted bail by the first additional sessions court of Ranga Reddy at LB Nagar on the ground that the panchanama stated that he was in possession of a small quantity of drugs.
As per the NDPS Act only possession of commercial quality of drugs is a non-bailable offence. Advocate G. Ashok Reddy said Nikhil Shetty was granted bail on Friday and released from jail. The Supreme Court had earlier stated that Excise police are ‘police officers’ and a confession before them is not admissible. Mr Reddy said, “There is no confession made by Nikhil Shetty.”
Advocate Khader Bashava Vali said, “Only a confession before the NCB and DRI and non-uniformed forces is admissible. Under Section 67 of the Act, excise police can’t draw any confession, and confessions already made are nor valid. They can only seek information”
Mastermind Calvin Mascarenhas’ advocate K. Revanth Rao Gopalaswamy said, “We haven’t filed for bail for Calvin yet. He has been implicated in the case. He didn’t make any confession.”
He claimed Calvin was picked up at RP Road but was shown as being arrested from his home.
“Calvin has no links with any Tollywood actor,” the advocate said.
Excise sleuths said they were not depending on confessions.
Excise enforcement director Akun Shabarwal said, “We have sufficient evidence. We have recovery panchanama where the drug was seized from them. We can conduct blood tests only with the court permission as per the Mumbai High Court orders.” LSD and cocaine stay in the blood for 72 hours but tests can be conducted for longer periods, he said. The Excise police has no plans of handing over the case to the NCB.
