Six people associated with the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) moved the High Court of Karnataka on Monday questioning the chargesheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department over the alleged doping of race horse Queen Latifa.
Nirmal Prasad, former secretary and CEO of BTC, Pradumna Singh, chief stipendiary steward of BTC, H.S. Mahesh, deputy chief veterinary officer, BTC, Vivek Gurudas Ubhayakar, steward, Arjun Sajnani, horse owner, and Neil Darashah, former cricketer and horse trainer, have sought direction from the court to quash the criminal proceedings against them.
Justice John Michael Cunha adjourned till July 20 the hearing on the petitioners’ plea to stay further proceedings before the trial court.
According to the petitioners, the evidence collected in support of the alleged offences do not disclose the commission of any offence by them or make out a case against them. They specifically contended that medication used for the horse’s treatment was Procaine, a Class III substance that is not a banned medication that, when used within the said limit, could not be labelled as a performance-enhancing substance.
“Procaine is added with antibiotics by manufacturers, to be used in the treatment of bacterial infections both in humans and animals. However, a rival faction in the club who had been eased out of the administration of the management has tried to make out culpable acts and malign the petitioners,” the plea said.
