Mumbai:
The special Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) court remanded a top executive of the Yash Birla Group, his bodyguard and peon to judicial custody until January 31.
They were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on January 11 for alleged possession of five grams of cocaine.
In the court, NCB sought judicial custody of president of corporate affairs of the group Anand Vardhan (31), his bodyguard Dilip Palekar (31) and peon Dharmu Rathod (29), saying their custodial interrogation was not necessary.
NCB told the court that they purchased the contraband from a peddler at Colaba in South Mumbai.
The case came to light after the investigation department of the Income Tax conducted a search at a five-star hotel in South Mumbai in connection with taxation issues of the Yash Birla Group last week.
When sleuths went to the hotel room, where Vardhan stayed and began their search operation, they found the contraband. NCB was roped in and confirmed that the seized drug was about five grams of cocaine.
Meanwhile, Vardhan has filed a bail in the special court saying he may be released on bail as his custodial interrogation was unnecessary.