Swati DeshpandeMumbai: Bombay high court on Friday granted bail to two employees of Nesco Ltd, who were arrested in an April 11 fatal drug overdose case at a music concert on the Goregaon exhibition centre grounds. Two management students had died. Police had arrested 12 accused so far in the case and said probe reveals an ‘international racket’ in the drug supply to the accused.The HC single Judge bench of Justice S C Chandak ordered their release on a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh and like surety. The entire security for the event was outsourced by NESCO to a third party as police investigation has revealed, the arrested duo Balkrishna Kurup, vice president of Live events and Sunny Jain, Manager, contended in their bail plea.Both had petitioned the HC separately after the sessions court in Mumbai denied them bail on May 7. Their pleas argued by senior counsel Girish Godbole said that neither them nor NESCO has any role in the security arrangements and can’t be held responsible for the incident. Both are currently in Thane prison.All illegal substances are strictly prohibited as per the NESCO policy, says Kurup’s plea adding he has been “made scapegoat’’ with absolutely no reason to arrest him and that the grounds of arrest were not communicated in the notice of arrest to kin.Both say they have absolutely no role and cannot be held liable for any breach of duty of a third party employee. No drugs were recovered from the two employees, the HC was told.Public prosecutor Shishir Hirey however opposing the bail pleas argued connivance with the event organisor and co-accused Akash Shamal to organise the event and knowingly sold over 3000 tickets when the permission was sought for around 400 ‘rotation-based’ entries. He also cited the number of drugs recovered saying from another co-accused, 933 ecstacy pills were recovered valued over Rs 15 lakh and said there were security lapses that allowed two co-accused drug-peddlers to enter the venue unchecked. Godbole said Shamal was already granted bail.The HC, for reasons separately recorded, granted bail to Kurup and Jain.
