A Mumbai court on Thursday granted bail to one of the organizers of a techno party in which two participated MBA students died after a drug overdose last month.
Akash Samal, who runs an artiste and celebrity management company, was granted bail by a special court constituted under the Anti-Corruption Act. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The Pakistani News Agency reported that three other defendants were denied assistance.
What is the issue about
The accident occurred on April 11 during a techno music concert held at the NESCO Exhibition Center in Goregaon. The event, which attracted an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people, allegedly continued beyond the permitted hours.
HT reported earlier that two students died and several others were hospitalized after suspected drugs were consumed at the scene. Preliminary medical findings indicate that they took MDMA (ecstasy), which caused symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.
The police said The drugs were allegedly provided through Porter’s app. Investigators identified Anand Patel as the alleged supplier, who was later arrested and sent into police custody.
One of the survivors, Sheetal Salvi, told police that she and another student, Shreya Rai, took a yellow pill given to them by their friend Ronak Khandelwal. She later confirmed that it was ecstasy. Salvi, Rai and one of the other attendees, Bismat Singh Amarjit Singh Bhasin (28), showed severe symptoms including dizziness and convulsions. Rai and Bhasin later died during treatment.
Police work
The police at that time registered a case against several individuals under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act relating to murder and acts endangering life or safety. The accused have also been booked under the NDPS Act and the Maharashtra Alcohol Act.
Seven people were arrested, including the organisers, a drug seller, students and security personnel associated with the venue.
who were arrested
Samal, who also owns Inspiring Tie Production, was arrested on April 13.
Others arrested in the case include alleged drug peddler Anand Patel; Balkrishna Kurup (46), Vice President of NESCO Exhibition Centre; Sunny Vinod Jain (31) and college students Ronak Rahul Khandelwal (25) and Pratik Bigesh Pandey (24).
Later, it emerged that the main accused, Mahesh Khimlani, had issued the order 4,000 Ecstasy pills from a supplier in Europe, according to the remand order.
Bail appeal
In his bail application, Samal said his arrest was “unlawful and arbitrary” and denied any role in distributing drugs or running security at the scene.
“The role of the applicant (Samal) and his company was limited only to managing the artistes and this can be confirmed through the employment agreement signed between NESCO (the company that runs the exhibition center) and the applicant,” the bail application said, according to PTI.
It claimed that NESCO “assumes sole and exclusive responsibility for ticket sales, food and alcoholic beverages, sponsorship funds and any other ancillary business.” The lawyers argued that there was no direct involvement.
Supply of drugs through the application
Police also raised concerns about regulatory violations, alleging that organizers failed to properly screen drugs at entry points and did not have a valid license to distribute alcohol. The investigation is ongoing.
(With inputs from Mega Sood and HT’s PTI)
