BTC doping scandal: CID files chargesheet against six

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the alleged doping scandal in the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) filed a chargesheet against six, including then BTC CEO Nirmal Prasad, in the I ACMM court on Tuesday.

The chargesheet alleges that Prasad, in conspiracy with the co-owner of the horse in question, veterinarian, horse trainer and others, suppressed the first report that tested positive for doping and ensured that a second report showed the drug traces were within acceptable limits.

Others named as accused in the chargesheet are Pradyumna Singh, chief stipendiary steward; Vivek Ubhaykar, steward, BTC; and Arjun Sajnani, co-owner of the horse Queen Latifa that tested positive for doping; Neel Darashah, trainer of the horse; and Dr. H.S. Mahesh, deputy chief veterinary officer, BTC. The accused have been booked for criminal conspiracy, cheating people who placed bets on horses and for the cover up.

The CID, in its chargesheet, has alleged that Queen Latifa won after being administered dope on March 5, 2017 in the BTC and the test report on doping was suppressed. The horse participated in another race in Ooty on April 14, 2017 where it was billed as a favourite, but ended up fourth. This amounts to cheating a total of 32,013 people who had bet in these two races, the CID has stated in the chargesheet.

The chargesheet alleges that Prasad entered into a conspiracy with Arjun Sajnani and Vivek Ubhaykar, and suppressed the report from National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) that said 1.22 Ng/ml of Procaine was found in the urine sample of Queen Latifa. The chargesheet alleges that Prasad not only suppressed the report from BTC Chairman Harindra Shetty but also ensured a letter by BTC members asking the president to probe the doping scandal did not reach him.

Later Pradyumna Singh, chief stipendiary steward, in a bid to clear the horse, wrote e-mails to several labs across the globe asking permissible level of Procaine in their lab and learnt that at Quanti Labs of Mauritius, the permissible limit was 10 Ng/ml and informed other accused. Nirmal Prasad added Quanti Labs to the list of empanelled labs under Medication Rules of BTC in a hurry and sent a second urine sample for the lab, the chargesheet alleges.

Further, as per Medication Rules of BTC, sample B can only be sent for a confirmatory test for drugs, but not for a detailed analysis, which can be done only on Sample A. However, the second sample (sample B) was sent to Quanti Labs for a detailed analysis, the chargesheet said.

The chargesheet also alleges that Neel Darashah has a history of horses he trained testing positive for doping. He also ensured that Queen Latifa’s stable was not inspected, and the horse was not suspended for future races, the chargesheet said.