Sandalwood Drug Scandal: Bail pleas filed by Kannada actresses Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani deferred to September 21

A Special NDPS Court has adjourned the bail applications filed by Kannada actresses Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani in connection with the Sandalwood drug case to September 21..Both actresses were recently arrested after being booked under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act), and the Indian Penal Code..The bail pleas were adjourned to Monday by the 33rd Sessions Court after the Special Public Prosecutor appearing for the Central Crime Branch (CCB) sought more time to file objections to the pleas..With the deferment of their bail pleas, both actresses will continue to remain in judicial custody for now, at Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bangalore..Both the actresses were reportedly taken into custody based on a suo motu case registered by the CCB officers at the Cottonpet police station for allegedly consuming and supplying banned narcotic substances at parties and events that they used to organise. .The complaint against Galrani was that she had formed a team in order to procure various narcotics from various states and foreign countries. It was alleged that Galrani and her team would sell the narcotic substances at various farm houses, 5 star hotels, clubs, pubs etc., the informant alleged. After a raid was conducted at her residence, Galrani was arrested by the police on July 8..The bail plea filed on behalf of Galrani strongly contends that the name of the present accused has not found any place in the First Information Report (FIR). The FIR was lodged only against those who are involved in procurement and sale of narcotics, reads the plea. ."The Accused herein has no role to play whatsoever pertaining to the above crime and has merely been arrayed as an accused as she is a celebrity", states the plea. .The bail plea further reads, ."The Accused herein is entirely innocent of the allegations made in the written information and the additional information and even if the entire contents are taken as gospel truth the same does not make out any offences let alone the offences invoked by the complainant police. More so, there are no allegations of this accused having played any role whatsoever in procurement or sale of narcotics.".Though the offences alleged against Galrani are non-bailable and cognizable in nature, the same are neither punishable with death or imprisonment for life nor triable by the Court of Sessions. Therefore, on these grounds, the petition prays for bail to be granted to Galrani. .Advocate Sriniwas Rao will be appearing for Galrani..Dwivedi also applied for bail after she was was taken into custody around 15 days ago. Interesting, while applying for bail, she had changed her previous advocate. .Speaking to Bar & Bench, Advocate Sudarshan Suresh who was earlier representing Dwivedi, confirmed that her family had given a written note asking him to retire from the case..Dwivedi will now be represented by Advocate Kalyan Kumar.