M A I N   N E W S

Fardeen remanded till May 18
Bail plea hearing on May 8

Mumbai, May 6 
Bollywood actor Fardeen Khan, arrested on the charge of possessing cocaine, was remanded in the Narcotics Control Bureau’s custody till May 18 by a Special Judge here today.

Two drug traffickers — Nasir Abdul Karim Sheikh and Tony Gomes — held along with Fardeen last night, were also remanded in NCB custody till May 18.

Defence counsel Ayaz Khan filed a bail petition, seeking liberty for Fardeen, a son of noted actor-producer Feroz Khan. Judge M.S. Keny listed the matter for hearing on May 8.

Fardeen was taken to the designated judge’s residence at Belle Vu in south Mumbai. His father was present when he, along with two drug traffickers, was remanded in NCB custody.

Public Prosecutor Usha Sisodia, seeking their remand, said altogether 9 gm of cocaine was seized from Fardeen’s car early yesterday.

The actor wanted to buy 1 gm of cocaine for personal consumption from Nasir but was not able to complete the deal as NCB sleuths swooped on them, the court was told. Nasir had disclosed during interrogation that Tony Gomes was the main supplier of drugs. Later, Tony was also nabbed by the NCB. All three were arrested for offences under the NDPS Act.

Fardeen admitted during interrogation that he used to take cocaine regularly to remain fresh because of hectic shooting schedules. He also admitted to having purchased the drug from Nasir. Nasir disclosed that he used to supply drugs to Bollywood personalities. NCB officials were still interrogating him, the court was told.

The prosecutor said Tony Gomes was still to be grilled and details about how he procured the drug were to be gathered.

Fardeen was picked up for interrogation by NCB officers yesterday and grilled the whole day. He was put under formal arrest last night.

According to NCB, Fardeen had gone to HSBC bank’s ATM centre in suburban Juhu to withdraw money. Nasir came in a taxi and got into the actor’s vehicle. They struck a deal but could not complete the transaction because the actor’s ATM card got stuck in the machine when the NCB sleuths arrived. PTI 

HVP to launch ‘jail bharo’ stir
Our Correspondent

Hisar, May 6
Mr Surender Singh, a former MP and general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party, has said his party will launch a ‘jail bharo’ agitation if the state government continued to exploit farmers.

Addressing mediapersons at Adampur near here, yesterday, he said though the government had announced a minimum support price of Rs 1200 per quintal for mustard yet farmers were forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices as procurement agencies were not ready to lift it at the MSP. It was a clear exploitation of farmers by the state government, he alleged.

He said agencies were also not procuring wheat properly. Lakhs of quintals of wheat was lying in mandis but officials were not purchasing it on one pretext or the other. There was a paucity of gunny bags in the state, which was adversely affecting procurement. The government had also failed to make payments within 72 hours as was promised.

He alleged that the government had failed to provide adequate water and power to the farmers. 

MiG pilot killed in crash

New Delhi, May 6
A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed while taking part in the ongoing military exercises codenamed “Poorna Vijay’’ (complete victory) over the deserts of Rajasthan, killing its pilot.

“A MiG-21 aircraft, operating from Suratgarh (Rajasthan) crashed during the military exercises, killing the pilot Flying Officer Ajay Sharma,’’ an IAF spokesman said. The mishap occurred in Bikaner district. UNI