Karnataka HC rejects bail plea of Kannada actor in Sandalwood drug case

The prosecution argued that since that digital evidence had been collected and are being processed, and since all the accused are influential people, any release could lead to destruction of evidence and prayed for their continued custody.

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of three key accused the Sandalwood drug case -Kannada actor Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjanaa Galrani alias Mahira and jeweller Prashanth Ranka.

Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi at the Central Crime Branch office for question in connection with the Sandalwood drug scandal, in Bengaluru on September 4. She was arrested on September 14. (PTI FILE PHOTO)

The three along with several others had been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NC) under various sections of NDPS Act. The Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru police and the NCB had jointly arrested Ragini on September 14 and Sanjjanaa two days later. The lawyer of the petitioners argued that no evidence had been found against them and that they should be immediately released.

The counsel for prosecution, however, argued that since that digital evidence had been collected and are being processed, and since all the accused are influential people, any release could lead to destruction of evidence and thus prayed for their continued custody.

After hearing all arguments, Justice Srinivasa Harish Kumar rejected the bail plea of the accused. All the three apart from seven other accused are lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Some of the accused named in the charge sheet, including Aditya Alva the brother-in-law of Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, are absconding.