Archive · 30 Aug 2026
NDPS Court Rejects Bail for Three in NESCO Death Case
A court decided that three people accused in a concert drug case should not be released on bail.
The case involves a music concert at the NESCO Exhibition Centre.
Two MBA students died after a suspected drug overdose.
Several other people were taken to hospitals.
Prosecutors say the accused helped obtain and distribute MDMA pills.
The accused denied or challenged parts of these allegations.
One accused said there was not enough evidence connecting him to the deaths.
The court said releasing them could allow pressure on witnesses or interference with the investigation.
The special NDPS court rejected bail pleas from Nitesh Khemlani, Pratik Pandey and Raunak Khandelwal.
Two MBA students died and several people were hospitalised after a suspected drug overdose at an April 11 techno music concert.
Prosecutors allege Khemlani helped fund the overseas purchase of 4,000 MDMA pills.
Prosecutors say Pandey arranged pills for peers, distributed them to Khandelwal and others, and that Khandelwal passed them on.
The court cited the accused’s alleged direct involvement and possible witness pressure or investigation interference in denying bail.
- Who
- Nitesh Khemlani, Pratik Pandey and Raunak Khandelwal, who are accused in the case.
- What
- A special NDPS court rejected their bail pleas in a case involving two suspected drug-overdose deaths.
- When
- The concert took place on April 11; the court’s decision was reported afterward.
- Where
- The incident occurred at the NESCO Exhibition Centre.
- Why
- The court cited the accused’s alleged active and direct involvement, along with possible witness pressure and interference with the investigation.
Prosecution and Court
Defence Arguments
Alleged involvement
Prosecution and Court
Prosecutors allege that the accused helped finance, obtain and distribute MDMA pills connected to the incident.
Defence Arguments
Khandelwal said there was no material establishing his link with the deaths, while the accused challenged the prosecution’s case.
Conduct of concertgoers
Prosecution and Court
The prosecution linked the accused’s alleged drug activity to an incident in which two students died and others were hospitalised.
Defence Arguments
Pandey argued that the injured and deceased people were accustomed to partying and consuming pills.
Bail risk
Prosecution and Court
The court said releasing the accused could lead to pressure on witnesses and tampering with the continuing investigation.
Defence Arguments
The accused sought release on bail, with Khemlani saying he had been unemployed for four to five years and used his wife’s bank account.
- Court
- Special NDPS court
- Accused
- Nitesh Khemlani, Pratik Pandey and Raunak Khandelwal
- Deaths
- Two MBA students died
- Other impact
- Several people were hospitalised
- Concert date
- April 11
- Alleged drug
- MDMA
- Alleged quantity
- 4,000 pills