CCB’s six-month effort zeroes in on 12 drug accused

BENGALURU:

The Central Crime Branch has named 12 people in the FIR filed against the alleged drug mafia, including Sandalwood actress Ragini Dwivedi as accused No 2, party organiser Viren Khanna as accused No 3 and Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi’s brother-in-law Aditya Alva as accused No 6.

The FIR, a copy of which was accessed by TheBengaluruLive, was filed by the CCB’s Assistant Commissioner of Police KC Gautham, who claimed to have tracked the drug racket  since April — during Lockdown 1 announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On a tip-off, ACP Gautham was tracking BK Ravi Shankar (a friend of Ragini Dwivedi), who works as an RTO clerk in the Jayanagar RTO. After Ravishankar spilled the beans, an FIR was registered against the 12 accused. “All these 12 accused were organising parties at various locations of Bengaluru city — city-based businessmen, actors, actresses, celebrities, DJs, software engineers were invited and with the help of drug peddlers, drugs were being supplied. In return,  huge money was being collected,” the FIR reads.

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ACP Gautham was tracking these activities since April and the FIR was filed on Saturday, September 4.  The FIR has named accused No 1 Shivaprakash, accused No 2 Ragini Dwivedi, accused No 3 Viren Khanna, accused No 4 Prashanth Ranka, accused No 5 Vaibhav Jain, accused No 6 Aditya Alva, accused No 7 Loom Pepper, accused No 8 Prashanth Raju, accused No 9 Ashwin, Accused No 10 Abhiswami, accused No 11 Rahul Thonshe and accused No 12 Vinay.

The FIR has been filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (U/s-21(c)); IPC 1860 (U/s-120B); (U/s-27(b),27A,29,21).

What the sections say

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (U/s-21(c)); IPC 1860 (U/s-120B); (U/s-27(b),27A,29,21)

Section 21(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 — Where the contravention involves commercial quantity, with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh rupees: Provided that the court may, for reasons to be recorded in the judgment, impose a fine exceeding two lakh rupees.

Section 120B of the Indian Penal  Code: Punishment of criminal conspiracy —
(1) Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, 2[imprisonment for life] or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, shall, where no express provision is made in this Code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence.
(2) Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy other than a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable as aforesaid shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding six months, or with fine or with both.

Section 21 Punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparations. Different punishments for small, medium and commercial quantities.

Section 27A
Punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders — Whoever indulges in financing, directly or indirectly, any of the activities specified in sub-clauses (i) to (v) of clause (viiia) of section 2 or harbours any person engaged in any of the aforementioned activities, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh rupees: Provided that the court may, for reasons to be recorded in the judgment, impose a fine exceeding two lakh rupees.

Section 27(b)
Where the narcotic drug or psychotropic substance consumed is other than those specified in or under cluase (a), with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both.

Section 29
Punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy. Same as for the offence.

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