An Australian doctor arrested in November last year for alleged possession of nearly 33 mg of high-end party drug Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) worth ₹1.8 crore moved the Bombay High Court on April 10 seeking bail claiming he is working towards using cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Justice Gautam Patel was hearing the bail application of Reza Borhani Shidani (50), who was arrested on November 22 last year and charged under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. His bail plea was rejected by the lockdown/holiday court on March 28.
Mr. Shidani, in his plea, said he should be granted bail following directions passed by the Supreme Court on the temporary release of inmates to reduce jail crowding in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
His advocate Shrinivas Bobde, while arguing the plea before Justice Patel through videoconferencing, said his client was a doctor working towards the medicinal use of cannabis. It was argued before the High Court that he is innocent and falsely implicated in the case.
Justice Patel, however, noted that while it cannot comment on the intentions behind Mr. Shidani’s use or possession of drugs, the law, however, prohibits their possession. The court told the advocate to move the plea before the regular court.
