Court defers framing of charges in Provogue case

The matter was deferred by Judge BS Vasekar after Provogue owner Salil Chaturvedi sought time.

A special court on Tuesday deferred till July 15 the framing of charges against nine accused, including Provogue apparel owner Salil Chaturvedi, booked on charges of possessing cocaine and conspiring to supply drugs.

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The matter was deferred by Judge BS Vasekar after Chaturvedi sought time saying he wanted to engage senior counsel KTS Tulsi to defend him.

According to the chargesheet filed on September 5 last year, Chaturvedi and others have been charged under Section 8 of Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substance Act (Production, transportation and dealing in Narcotics drugs).

Two police officials Suresh Shinde and Shantilal Jadhav, who allegedly tried to replace the cocaine powder with talcum powder and extort money from Vishal Meghnani, one of the accused and former employee of Provogue, have been charged with Section 218 (tampering with evidence), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant).

Chaturvedi, who was arrested on August three on charges of possessing cocaine powder at his residence and conspiring to supply drugs, has been granted bail.

He had earlier filed a petition urging to reduce the period of his police custody on the ground that police had already conducted thorough search of his office and residence.

Earlier this year, police had seized at the Santacruz Airport four vials of cocaine being smuggled in from Chennai and arrested Allywn Sequeira, who was the importer of the consignment.

During investigation, Sequiera revealed that the original consignee of the vials was Vishal Meghnani, former employee of Provogue.