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Rahul Mahajan stable, secretary dies

       New Delhi: Rahul Mahajan, the son of former Bharatiya Janata Party leader the late Pramod Mahajan, who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Apollo Hospital here early today due to suspected food poisoning, has been put on ventilatory support while Pramod Mahajan's secretary Vivek Moitra died. Rahul's condition was stated to be critical but stable. According to hospital sources, Rahul and Moitra were admitted to the hospital at about 3 am after reportedly consuming food that was poisoned. Moitra was declared 'brought dead'. Meanwhile, police have recovered bottles of Champaign and pouches of white powder from the late Pramod Mahajan's Delhi resident, where, according to sources, a small party was going on.

     Rahul Mahajan's condition remains "serious, but his vital signs are stable," Apollo Hospital doctors attending to him said in their evening bulletin on Friday. They said that the next 24 hours will be crucial for him. According to the doctors, there is a slight improvement in his blood pressure, but his overall medical condition remains the same. A six-member multi-disciplinary medical team headed by Dr. Prasad Rao, a specialist in internal medicine, is attending to Mahajan. The detailed post-mortem report of Vivek Maitra, who was brought dead to the hospital on Friday morning, will be released tomorrow. A toxicology screening report will also be released.

     Meanwhile, Manish Aggrawal, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Delhi Police said in the evening that the three persons who were at Mahajan's residence on Thursday night were not strangers and that they were at the spot till both Rahul and Vivek were rushed to hospital. Police said that the identity of the three persons and the "white sample" is yet to be ascertained and that no time-frame could be fixed for investigation. He also said that the bottles of the champagne and the glasses were removed from the spot and were kept inside the refrigerators, when the police reached the spot. It is suspected that the white sample could be cocaine which when mixed with alcohol is 21 times more deadly, leading to cardiac arrest. The police are keeping their options open and have neither ruled out foul play or an over dosage of drugs. A case has been registered under CrPC 174.

     Earlier in the day, doctors at AIIMS conducted an autopsy on Moitra's body and it is now expected to be taken to Mumbai, where he used to live in Matunga area. Vivek Moitra was a close associate of the Mahajan family for years now. He was Pramod Mahajan's secretary for the past 15 years. He was also known to be close to Pramod's son Rahul. Moitra was also brought to the hospital along with Rahul. He was, however, declared dead on arrival. At 3 am (IST) Rahul called out to the household staff and told them that he was not feeling well, after which they rushed him to the hospital.

    The police have said that the three men were known to Moitra because he received them at the gate. "Servants Ganesh and Anil say that both had champagne last night. A polythene bag was retrieved which contained some white contents," said police. Soon after the incident, the three men disappeared. The police have now filed a case under Section 175 CrPC in the matter. Police have recovered two packets of white powder, one of them from Rahul Mahajan's pocket. Although poisoning has not been ruled out, the presence of powder is suggestive of drug abuse. Police have questioned Rahul Mahajan's friends in Delhi. They also probed calls made from his cellphone and have raided a house in north-west Delhi.

Forensic team begins investigations (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: Bottles of champagne and pouches of white powder believed to be cocaine have been recovered from the 7, Safdarjang Road residence of late Pramod Mahajan. A forensic team told sources that the powdery white substance, found in 8 gram pouch, was a synthetic drug and was brought into the Mahajan residence by Moitra to be shared at a small party organised by Rahul Mahajan. According to reports coming out of the residence, Moitra had invited three persons to the Mahajan residence, and the latter did not know that Rahul Mahajan was inside the premises. Servants told the investigators that these three persons were visiting the house for the first time, and had done so twice on Thursday. The champaign and the powdery white substance has been sent to a forensic lab for testing. A criminal investigation team of the Delhi Police and forensic experts are on the lookout for any clue. Servants Anil and Ganesh are being questioned after they had informed the police of the mishap.

     "We are trying to ascertain the identities of the three and investigations are on in that direction," Additional DCP, New Delhi, Manish Aggarwal said adding "It is a very small sample and details about it would be known only after chemical examination". "The scene of the incident was disturbed as the household staff had kept the champagne bottles and glasses in a cupboard and cleaned up the vomit of Mahajan and Moitra from the floor of the house," Aggarwal said. Family members of Rahul and Moitra have been informed. According to reports, senior BJP leader and former deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Gopinath Munde, has left for Delhi to visit Rahul in the hospital.

Questions about Rahul `s political future (Go To Top)

       New Delhi: Questions are now being raised about the political future of Rahul Mahajan, the son of the late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, in the wake of Thursday night`s incident involving the alleged use of cocaine, which led to him being admitted to the Apollo Hospital in a critical condition on Friday morning According to BJP sources, Rahul had earlier this week expressed his desire to join active politics during a lunch organised by the BJP National Executive. BJP leaders, however, refused to discuss the political implications of the latest developments relating to Rahul. Reports had it that the BJP wanted to field him or his mother Rekha for the Rajya Sabha seat fallen vacant by the death of his father and had even sought the support of NCP President Sharad Pawar. The plan could not succeed as the Congress, which has now emerged as the single largest party in Maharashtra, refused to play ball and dismissed suggestions of giving up the seat. Congress leaders claim that there is no question of leaving the seat for the BJP as it had not shown similar magnanimity after the accidental deaths of Rajesh Pilot and Madhavrao Scindia.

Rahul not a drug addict: Munde (Go To Top)

       New Delhi: Close relative of Rahul Mahajan and Maharashtra BJP legislature party leader Gopinath Munde on Saturday evening visited the Tughlaqabad police station. Talking to reporters here Munde said, "I came here in connection with the dead body of Vivek Moitra, along with one of Moitra's close relative. Moitra's parents are very old so it's not possible for them to come to the police station here to receive his dead body", he added. Munde also categorically rejected a query as Rahul a drug addict. Replying to query as whether the incident is a well planned conspiracy he said, "it would be too early to say as the police is doing impartial investigation in the case." "Any conclusion would only possible after police investigation," he added.