- Title: INDIA- CRICKET: Mumbai police bust a rave party; detain two IPL players
- Date: 22nd May 2012
- Summary: SMUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA (MAY 20, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) (NIGHT SHOTS) EXTERIOR OF THE HOTEL DETAINED PEOPLE BEING TAKEN TOWARDS POLICE VEHICLE POLICE PERSONNEL STANDING NEAR VEHICLE DETAINED PEOPLE SITTING INSIDE THE VEHICLE POLICE VEHICLE LEAVING RAHUL SHARMA OF THE PUNE WARRIORS TEAM STANDING WITH ANOTHER DETAINED PERSON POLICEMEN STANDING AROUND WAYNE PARNELL OF THE PUNE WARRIORS SHARMA AND PARNELL BEING TAKEN AWAY SHARMA WALKING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL SHARMA GETTING INSIDE THE CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) RAHUL SHARMA, PUNE WARRIORS PLAYER, SAYING: "I will speak tomorrow in front of everybody. I have not slept since yesterday night. I am too tired and leaving for home." SHARMA SITTING IN THE CAR CAR LEAVING EXTERIOR OF THE CASUALTY WARD OF THE HOSPITAL 'CASUALTY WARD' WRITTEN ON THE BANNER POLICE VEHICLE CARRYING DETAINED PEOPLE BEING DRIVEN INSIDE THE HOSPITAL GATE DETAINED MEN WALKING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND BOARDING THE POLICE VEHICLE VARIOUS OF DETAINED MEN SITTING INSIDE THE POLICE VEHICLE POLICEMEN STANDING NEAR THE POLICE VEHICLE DETAINED MEN SITTING IN THE POLICE VEHICLE DETAINED MEN COVERING THEIR FACES WITH THEIR T-SHIRT (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) RAJU DONGRE, WITNESS, SAYING: "The police entered the hotel at around 6:30 in the evening and raided the place. In all 40-50 people taken out of the hotel. The police said that they were consuming drugs in the party." POLICE VEHICLE LEAVING RESIDENCE OF SHARMA (SOUNDBITE) (Punjabi) MOTHER OF RAHUL SHARMA, INDU SHARMA, SAYING: "He went to a friend's birthday party with his friends. He does not go to such parties. Now how will he know what kind of party it was." Q. It is being said it was a rave party? A. "It was nothing of that sort, public and media just make noises. We know our child is not of that type. He had just gone out with his friends." INDU SHARMA STANDING
- Embargoed: 6th June 2012 12:19
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Crime,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVAFMPUVDE9R2Y5VNOTKSOEUJHU
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Mumbai police busted a high-profile rave party at a plush hotel on Sunday (May 20), detaining 96 people, including two players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) team the Pune Warriors team.
According to police officials, cocaine and other drugs were being used at the party.
The two players involved are Rahul Sharma and South African Wayne Parnell who, along with the others detained, were taken to hospital where tests were conducted to establish if the players had themselves used banned drugs.
Sharma refused to comment as he left, saying that he would clarify his position on Monday in front of the media.
"I will speak tomorrow in front of everybody. I have not slept since yesterday night. I am too tired and leaving for home," said Sharma.
"The police entered the hotel at around 6:30 in the evening and raided the place. In all 40-50 people taken out of the hotel. The police said that they were consuming drugs in the party," said Raju Dongre, a witness.
Sharma's mother Indu Sharma defended her son, saying he went to attend a friend's birthday party and was not aware of what was going on at the place.
"He went to a friend's birthday party with his friends. He does not go to such parties. Now how will he know what kind of party it was," she said.
"It was nothing of that sort, public and media just make noises. We know our child is not of that type. He had just gone out with his friends."
Media reports claimed that police seized 110 grams of cocaine and drugs like Ecstasy from the party. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the police are waiting for the medical reports.
The IPL has been caught in a slew of controversies over the past week.
First there was a sting operation by a TV channel that showed IPL players indulging in spot fixing. Then Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was banned from the Wankhede Stadium for five years following a scuffle with security guards and cricket officials.
The latest controversy was the arrest and subsequent release on bail of Royal Challengers Bangalore's Australian batsman Luke Pomersbach on charges of molesting a woman in a hotel in Delhi. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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