CID quizzes Turf Club officials over horse doping

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths, on Thursday, questioned Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) officials in connection with the horse doping case. The sleuths also seized a computer and several documents including doping test reports, veterinary reports along with CCTV footage of the races the filly Queen Latifa participated.

The enquiry started around 11.30 am and went on till 4.30 pm, an officer said. Senior officers of the rank of SP and DySP visited the club. They enquired about the racing procedure and quizzed BTC chief executive officer (CEO), Nirmal Prasad, and chief stipendiary officer Pradyumna Singh in this regard.

The sleuths also questioned BTC chairman Y Jagannath and veterinarian Dr Mahesh. “We will serve notices to other officials involved, summon them and record their statements,” said Nanjundegowda, DySP of CID.
CID sources confirmed they have collected CCTV footage from the stable and the other places where the filly was taken to race, to ascertain who all were in communication with the jockey, the horse trainer and the owner.

“We are probing if anybody was involved in influencing these three people,” Nanjundegowda said. It is learnt that in March-April, Queen Latifa - after winning a race in Bengaluru where the horse tested positive for the drug procaine - was taken to the Ooty race course, Tamil Nadu, where she finished fourth.

After the filly’s win in Bengaluru, stakes were high on her, but she lost in Ooty, CID sources said. H S Chandregowda, member of the Karnataka Race Horse Owners Association, lodged a complaint with the High Grounds police on April 19, saying Nirmal Prasad and Pradyumna Singh misused their official powers and did not initiate requisite action when doping tests of three horses returned positive. The three horses that tested positive for doping were Rafa, Kavsir and Queen Latifa.

While Rafa’s trainer S Dominic and Kavsir’s trainer G Sandu were later arrested and an inquiry was initiated against them, Latifa’s trainer Neil Darashah was allowed to go scot-free and Latifa took part in other races, the complainant said.