MUMBAI: Two officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau have been suspended for their alleged lapses in handling of court proceedings in two drug cases involving actress Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash and TV comedian Bharati Singh and her husband Harsh Limbhaiyaa.
The NCB has been investigating a series of cases involving celebrities and drug peddlers.
This probe was triggered by an investigation into a drug angle pertaining to actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide on June 14.
In Bharati Singh’s case, the metropolitan magistrate court on November 23 granted the couple bail considering that the quantity of drugs involved was small and the offence attracted a maximum of up to one year in jail. The court, while granting bail to the couple, had observed that the investigating officer as well as public prosecutor Atul Sarpande were both not present in the court to file their replies.
The NCB had recovered 86.5 grams of ganja from the Singh and her husband.
In the Karishma Prakash case, the officer’s conduct in meddling in certain issues between two officers of the court was “unbecoming of an officer,’’ said a source. The special NDPS court is hearing Karishma Prkash’s anticipatory bail plea for the past one month. The NCB had carried out a search of her house and had found 1.7 grams of hashish.
Sources said that the two officers who have been suspended have not indulged in any corruption in either of the cases, but there is dereliction of duty.
Referring to the Bharati Singh case, a source said, “The staff of public prosecutor had conveyed to the court staff that he was tied up with an urgent case in Thane and hence suggested that the court keep the matter for hearing the next day.” Meanwhile, an officer prepared a reply and reached the court by 2.30 pm, but the court had already passed the bail order.
The NCB, subsequently on November 26, made three applications, for revocation of bail order, cancellation of bail order and revision against bail order in the special NDPS court. The next date of hearing is December 9.
In the case of Karishma Prakash, a source said that the officer ought not to have interfered in settling differences between two officers of the court. “Everyone knows they dislike each other,” the source said. “The NCB has been asked not to take coercive action against Karishma Prakash. We hope that at the next date of hearing, the court decides the matter,’’ an official said. The NCB claimed it has a strong case against her.