Charge sheet running into 636 pages has been filed, a year after CID took over the probe

Kushala Satyanarayana in Bangalore Mirror

Almost a year after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took up the investigation into an alleged horse doping scandal at the Bangalore Turf Club, a 636-page charge sheet was filed in the court on Monday, accusing six people of involvement in the racket and abetting the crime.

The charge sheet and report filed before the first ACMM court by CID deputy superintendent of police K Nanjundegowda has named BTC’s former chief executive officer Nirmal Prasad, chief stipendiary officer Pradyumna Singh, co-owner of the horse that was doped, Queen Latifa, and restauranteur Arjun Sajnani, his business partner, and steward Vivek Ubhaykar, horse trainer Neil Darashah and BTC’s deputy chief veterinary officer Dr HS Mahesh.

All the six have been accused of involvement in doping the then three-year-old filly Queen Latifa to win the races, keeping the dope test report under wraps and allowing her to participate in another race raising punters’ stakes. The report has recorded the statement of 44 people, who were questioned in the case. All the six accused had obtained anticipatory bail during the course of the investigation.

Though the CID investigation was complete and the report ready during the tenure of former CID DGP HC Kishore Chandra, the filing of the charge sheet took some months, raising questions on the delay.

Last April, a horse doping controversy rocked BTC, which showed the racing club in a bad light — a racehorse owner and member of the managing committee of Karnataka Race Horse Owners’ Association filed a criminal complaint at the High Grounds police station against two officials of BTC, two horse owners and a trainer.

A case was registered the same day under Sections 202, 418, 420, 120 B of IPC and Section 11 (C) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Then the government handed over the case to CID.

The investigation has elaborated on how all the six named in the charge sheet colluded and doped Queen Latifa to ensure victory in the races. The dope test report that came positive was kept under wraps, and they did not suspend the horse or follow the standard operating procedures, allowing the filly (which was in the cooling off period) to participate in another race where she failed and punters lost lakhs.

When Bangalore Mirror contacted Nirmal Prasad, he said he had no idea about the charge sheet filed in the case, while Neil Darashah said he does not have a clue as to what is in it. “But we will have to go through it, that is the way it is,’’ he added. Even Arjun Sajnani said he had no idea about the charge sheet and had “no comments”. When the controversy broke out, Sajnani and Ubhayhad clarified the filly was injected with penicillin procaine injection by the veterinarians at the Bangalore Turf Club Hospital. 1). It is no surprise that the present Managing Committee is insuring itself by taking hostile action on the Press so that their misdeeds don't come out. I think there should be a comprehensive probe on all office-bearers who held office in the last 10 years to probe their omissions and commissions. Then the truth will come out and it will also help put the rogue gallery in place.