The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to file its reply on a plea by Agisilaos Demetriades, brother of Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal's partner Gabriella Demetriades, challenging his detention by the investigating agency pursuant to September 21, 2021 notice.
A division bench of justices PD Naik and Abhay Ahuja while admitting Demetriades' petition has granted eight weeks’ time to NCB to file its reply.
On April 21 this year, Demetriades, a South African national, was detained by the NCB from Goa pursuant to a detention order issued on September 21, 2021. He was detained as a part of preventive action initiated by the Mumbai unit of the NCB under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act considering he has three cases registered against him for possession of drugs.
PITNDPS Act provides for the issue of preventive detention orders against any person with a view to prevent him from engaging in illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Demetriades, through his advocate Kunal Bilaney filed an application seeking to be transferred to a prison in Goa since he is a civil prisoner. He has also sought that he be allowed home food.
Sriram Shirsat, appearing for the NCB, said they would be filing their reply to Demetriades’ application seeking transfer to a Goa prison and for home food.
His petition contends that before he was detained by the NCB, he had filed a petition before the Goa bench of the HC challenging the detention order which was dismissed. He had approached the Supreme Court against the detention order, which too did not grant him any relief.
Following which he was detained by the NCB.
