Charges framed against Rahul Mahajan

New Delhi: A special court here on Saturday framed charges against Rahul Mahajan, son of late Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan, for drug abuse but the charge of drug trafficking against him was dropped.

The special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act court found prima facie sufficient material on record to send Rahul Mahajan, Harish Sharma, former personal assistant of the late leader, and three others on trial in the drug abuse case of June 2006. The trial will begin Jan 10.

Special Judge S.N. Gupta discharged Rahul Mahajan of the charge of financing illicit trafficking of drugs and harbouring offenders under Section 27(A) of the NDPS Act.

Mahajan will face trial under Sections 21 (possession of drugs), Section 25 (allowing premises for commission of an offence), Section 27 (illegal possession in small quantity for personal consumption of any narcotic drugs) and Section 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the NDPS Act.

Co-accused Sahil Zaroo will face trial under Sections 21, 27 and 29 of the NDPS Act and Section 419 (cheating by impersonation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Harish Sharma and Ganesh, Rahul's servant, will face charges under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 201 (destruction of evidence) of the IPC.

Nigerian national Abdul Latif Ashola alias Mohammad Abdullah, will be tried under Sections 21 and 29 of NDPS Act while his compatriot Egbedokun James Taiwo will be prosecuted under Sections 29 read with 21-B (possession of more than five grams of drugs) of the NDPS Act.

All the accused except the two Nigerian nationals are out on bail.