M A I N   N E W S

Moitra poisoned
No traces of drugs in Rahul, says report
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 3
With Rahul Mahajan testing negative for any drugs and BB Moitra’s post mortem indicating death by poisoning, the mystery surrounding Friday’s tragic incident has further deepened.

The report of the toxic screening of Rahul Mahajan, son of the late BJP leader, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, also belies the claims of the three young men who are being interrogated by the police. The three had claimed that they had procured cocaine at the behest of Moitra and both Rahul and Moitra had taken a snort during the late night party in the Safdarjung Road house.

Senior police officers said they were trying to ascertain the facts and clear the discrepancies in the statements of the three young men who had claimed that they were at the house along with another person, identified as Sahil. The trio had also claimed to a TV channel yesterday that Rahul had used a Rs.500 note to snort the drug.

Meanwhile, Sahil, the fourth person supposed to have visited the residence of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan allegedly to supply cocaine to his son Rahul, surrendered in Srinagar. He is being brought to the Capital for interrogation. The Delhi Police had launched raids in south Delhi and neighbouring Haryana. A team of Delhi Police officials is also expected to visit Mumbai, from where Sahil hails, police sources said.

A team of senior police officials was still interrogating Rahul Malhotra, Tishay Khanna and Karan Ahuja, who appeared for questioning at the Mandir Marg Police Station late last night.

The four had allegedly procured drugs for Rahul and late Pramod Mahajan's aide Moitra.

A lawyer for the three persons claimed that his clients had not surrendered but were helping the police in investigations.

Moitra died before he could be admitted to the Apollo Hospital, where Rahul is under treatment.

Asked about Sahil's background, Mr.Manish Agarwal, additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, said his antecedents were being verified.

A medical bulletin issued by Apollo hospital said that Rahul’s vital parameters have improved but he continues to be under close observation.

Dr Prasada Rao, senior consultant, Internal Medicine who is leading the five-member team of specialists attending to Rahul told TNS that his patient is doing well in the Intensive Care Unit.

Asked if he would sail through, Dr Rao said, “There is many a slip between the cup and the lip.”

Sahil surrenders in Srinagar

Srinagar, June 3
Stating that he was innocent, Sahil Zaroo, the fourth person wanted in the Rahul Mahajan case, today surrendered before the police here. ''I am innocent,'' Sahil, a resident of Nigeen, said before he surrendered in the office of a private Television channel.

Sahil's lawyer Aslam Goni said Sahil had not supplied any drugs to Rahul Mahajan as was being alleged. ''It is totally baseless,'' he claimed. He said Sahil was invited by Bibek Biman Moitra, a close aide of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, to the party at 7, Safdarjang Road, where the incident had occurred.

Sahil said he surrendered before the media so that he could ''express his viewpoint''.

''Please talk to my lawyer,'' Sahil said when asked for details about the incident. He said he was not feeling well and was admitted to a nursing home, since yesterday.

Sahil's lawyer clarified that Sahil reached here in a scheduled flight from Delhi this afternoon. Immediately on his arrival here, he reached the office of a Television channel.

Mr Goni said he had contacted the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Kashmir Range, informing him about the arrival of Sahil from Delhi.

Sahil wanted to surrender, he told the IG in the presence of media persons.

Later, a police party took Sahil into custody.

Mr Goni claimed Sahil had surrendered to clear his name from the controversy.

He said Sahil had met Moitra at a party in Mumbai.

''Sahil was found of high society parties and used to attend parties in Mumbai and Delhi,'' Mr Goni said, adding Sahil has a house in Mumbai and Delhi and has friends in high society.

He claimed Sahil was being implicated in the case. Sahil will cooperate with the investigation agency and put before them the truth, he said. ''My client was at the wrong place at the wrong time,'' Mr Goni said. — UNI