While Paul’s bail plea was rejected last week, the detailed order copy was made available on Wednesday.
In a 10-page order copy, special judge AV Kharkar also said that the accused cannot be enlarged on bail with a blinkered vision.
Actor Chrisann Pereira, who was arrested in Sharjah in drugs case, released
“It would be necessary to consider the impact that release of the applicant on bail will have on the victim,” the judge said.
The judge further said that investigations prima facie point out that he had had set up Chrisann over a petty quarrel with her family.
The judge also said that the statements of the other victims also indicates that his mentality was such that he used to frame the victims with whom he had even a small dispute.
“Prima facie the offence subject matter is of very serious nature. Standard arguments that the accused is a local resident and will not flee and that the quantity of contraband is below commercial quantity do not create a ladder for the accused to walk up to the bail,” the judge said.
Paul was arrested on April 24 by the crime branch for allegedly planting drugs on Chrisann, who was arrested by Sharjah police, was subsequently released and returned home to India.
In June the police had filed the 1,550-page chargesheet against Paul, his friend, banker Rajesh alias Ravi Bobhate, and drug peddler Shantisingh Rajput under Indian Penal Code sections for cheating, forgery, breach of trust and extortion, and under the NDPS Act.
Police said the plan to frame all his five victims was hatched by Paul alone and even Bobhate who handed over trophies with drugs hidden in cavities and drug-laced cakes to the victims while they were to fly to Sharjah for some fictitious audition or event, was kept in the dark.
Rejecting Paul’s bail plea, the judge said that there is a material to show that it was he who had arranged for Bobhate to call upon Chrisann and induce her to go to Sharjah along with the Trophy in which he had concealed the narcotic substances.
“There are allegations of cheating as well as forgery. Considering the gravity of the offence, the application for bail cannot be allowed,” the judge said.
Opposing the bail plea, public prosecutor Wajeed Shaikh, submitted that while one of the victims has been sentenced to life, some others fortunately escaped as they did not carry the cake or trophy. DJ Clayton Rodrigues has been convicted and sentenced to 25 years in jail by Sharjah court.
“…it cannot be lost sight that because of him the victims were required to undergo imprisonment in the foreign land,” Shaikh submitted.
The bail plea submitted by advocate Alisha Parekh said that Paul was never in contact with the victim and was not the one to give her the trophy or book her tickets.
The bail plea also said that the accused is innocent and falsely framed in the matter.
“It is… submitted that investigation is complete and chargesheet has been filed. However, till date there is no evidence of recovery of any contraband in the instant case,” the plea said.
It was further submitted that there is no Chemical Analysis (CA) Report to prove that the alleged victim was in possession of any contraband prohibited under the NDPS Act.
The plea said that it was pertinent to note that the contents of the complaint itself are vague and improbable.
“It is pertinent to note that the victim girl had allegedly carried the trophy from Mumbai Airport to Sharjah, which was subjected to check at both the airports. However, no contraband whatsoever was detected in the alleged trophy. Thereafter the victim girl threw the said trophy in dustbin. However, upon instructions of her mother ie the complainant removed it back from the dustbin and allegedly handed it over to the police authorities,” the plea alleged.