HC refuses stay on CID probe in BTC horse doping case

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday refused to grant stay on investigation proceedings by CID regarding a doping case of horse Queen Latifa horse in a race at the Bangalore Turf Club.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Bangalore Turf Club who had moved the court seeking a stay on the investigation.

Prosecution advocate Rachaiah pleaded not to grant the stay.  The judge asked the investigations to proceed. The Turf Club sought to time to file objections with regard to this matter.

A criminal case was registered against officials of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) over an incident of a horse that had won a race but tested positive for stimulants.

A complaint was lodged at the High Grounds police station on Apil 19 by HS Chandregowda, a committee member of the Karnataka Race Horse Owners Association (KROA), stating that BTC Chief Executive Officer Nirmal Prasad and Chief Stipendiary Officer Paduman Singh used their powers to cover up the doping offence.

The two, along with steward Vivek Ubhayakar, joint-owner Arjun Sajnani and trainer Neil Darashah, were named in the FIR after the police started the investigations.

Chandregowda said during the Winter Season that started in the first week of November 2016 and ended on March 18, 2017, three winning horses tested positive for stimulants when their urine samples were sent for examinations.

The three race horses tested positive for stimulants were Rafa, Kvasir and Queen Latifa. While Rafa's trainer S Dominic and Kvasir's trainer G Sandhu were hauled up and an inquiry was initiated against them, Queen Latifa's trainer Neil Darashah was let off, with the case closed, Chandregowda stated.

The directed the Criminal Investigating Department (CID) to inquire into the alleged horse doping case and other irregularities in the BTC administration.