Indian spinner Rahul Sharma's participation in the ODI series against Sri Lanka was, on Friday, thrown into jeopardy after he tested positive for consumption of drugs in a rave party in Mumbai in May, making his arrest inevitable.
On the eve of the series opener at Hambantota, the Indian camp was rocked by the shocking development of the young leg-spinner testing positive along with South African cricketer Wayne Parnell.
- Mumbai rave party: Rahul Sharma, Parnell test positive
The two were among many celebrities who attended a rave party at a plush hotel in suburban Juhu and Mumbai Police confirmed that they were among the 42 who tested positive for drugs.
The BCCI, however, stood by the cricketer and said it would investigate the matter thoroughly before deciding the future course of action.
Refusing to comment on the matter, the Indian team's media manager Ravi Jain said, "We have not received any communication from BCCI, So, it would not be proper for me to comment at this stage."
Jain also declined to confirm if the spinner would be fielded for Saturday's match in the wake of the recent development.
The Mumbai Police received reports of blood samples of 44 out of the 90 people, who had attended the sundown party at Oakwood Premier Hotel in Juhu.
"Of the 44, two females tested negative, while the rest are positive," Deputy Police Commissioner Pratap Dighaokar said.
These 44 people include two IPL cricketers Rahul and Parnell (both played for Pune Warriors India) and 38 women, police sources said.
On June 22, city police had declared the results of 46 of the 90 people's blood samples, who attended the party, in which 44 tested positive, police said.
Actors Apurva Agnihotri, Anshuman Jha, Parth Sharma, Amit Gaur, famous fashion designer Rocky S, cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi's son Angad Bedi, celebrities Rahul Dahia, Kartik Jobanputra, DJ brothers Dipesh Sharma and Rakesh Sharma and the hotel director Vishay Handa were among the 44 people who tested positive, the results for which were announced on June 20 by the police.
Police had, on May 20, raided the posh hotel and rounded up 90 patrons, including foreigners, following specific inputs about the presence of drugs at the party. They were let off after their urine and blood samples were taken.
All those who tested positive will face arrest, another police official said, adding the procedure to arrest would start soon.
Among those tested positive in Friday's report, 35 had consumed cannabis, three had consumed cannabis as well as cocaine and four others had consumed cannabis and MDMA (better known as ecstasy, a drug usually taken in the form of a pill).
However, police did not reveal their names.
Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte / Reuters
