As arguments on charges in Rahul Mahajan drug abuse case concluded on Monday, a Delhi court reserved its order on framing of charges against slain Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan's son and five others for December 21.
Additional Sessions Judge S N Gupta, after hearing the arguments of counsel for Harish Sharma, an accused in the case and an aide of late Mahajan, observed that both sides have been given sufficient opportunity to place their contentions and reserved the order for December 21.
Earlier, Ramesh Gupta, counsel for Sharma, wrapped his arguments saying that the prosecution could not prove the fact that his client had either the intention or the knowledge to destroy evidence pertaining to the drug abuse case.
He contended that no case was made out against Sharma as he was not aware of the commission of the alleged offence. Opposing the prosecution's plea that Sharma had a definite intention in instructing his servants to wipe the floor of Pramod Mahajan aide Bibek Moitra's vomit, Gupta said "It was pretty normal for a man to ask his servants to wipe the floor of the vomit and this could not impute any malafide intention on his client."
He said the offence of destroying evidence cannot be made out as no knowledge of the commission of any offence can be imputed to him at that time. The prosecution had, on December 7, concluded its arguments on the charges, saying it was not a case of just personal use but of distribution of drugs and pressed charges under various provisions of the NDPS Act against Mahajan, Sahil Zaroo and Nigerian nationals Abdul Lateef Ashola Md Abdullah and Egbedokun James Taiwo.
Other two accused in the case, Harish Sharma and servant Ganesh Kumar Sinha are booked on the charge of destroying evidence. The chargesheet in the case was filed on August 3 alleging Mahajan had used the 7, Safdarjung Road official residence of his late father for distribution and consumption of drugs for a party on the intervening night of June one and two.
Sahil and Mahajan, along with the late BJP leader's personal secretary Bibek Moitra, had allegedly consumed an unspecified quantity of the contraband on June 1, which was supplied by three Nigerians. While Moitra was brought dead to Apollo Hospital, Rahul and Sahil had to be medically treated for their health condition.
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