Doping scandal: More trouble for Katrak as Popat the suspect sings
Ex-assistant trainer Deepak Popat has told cops about a conspiracy to implicate Shroff in the scandal.
The Turf Club doping scandal, that has top jockey turned-trainer Pesi Shroff at its centre, has taken a dramatic turn with one of the suspects turning police witness and handing over to investigators 18 recorded conversations that indicate that Shroff may have been framed.
Former assistant trainer and avid punter Deepak Popat, who is now helping with the investigations, has told the cops that there was a conspiracy to implicate the former jockey in the doping scandal. He has revealed that Shroff’s rival trainer Cooji Katrak, and a certain Umed Singh were involved in this plan and some top RWITC committee members were in the know of this.
But two months before he was disqualified, Shroff filed a police complaint at the Tardeo police station alleging sabotage. The investigations were eventually handed over to the Crime Branch and the initial probe, that included electronic surveillance of some of the key suspects, revealed there was substance in Shroff’s allegations.
A majority of the recorded phone conversations handed over to the cops by Popat are between him, Katrak and Singh. Popat has said that Katrak wanted him to ask Singh to get four Nanoli Stud Farm employees, who were involved in taking care of Bullseye, to sign affidavits saying the filly was indeed injected with Boldenone.
These affidavits, according to Popat, were supposed to be submitted during RWITC’s disciplinary hearing against Shroff on March 12, 2014, which would have resulted in Shroff, former RWITC chairman K N Dhunjibhoy and the stud farm receiving a lengthy ban.
Popat has claimed that Singh set a price of Rs 10 lakh for the job, but Katrak declined to pay. Popat also said Katrak was actively involved in preparing these affidavits for which he was in contact with a Hyderabad-based lawyer.
Popat had filed an anticipatory bail plea in May after he was interrogated by the Crime Branch. He was granted bail on Friday with the police deciding not to oppose his application.
Popat told Mumbai Mirror on Friday that it was his apprehension about being doublecrossed that made him record all his conversations with Katrak and Singh.
Explaining his reasons for turning a witness, Popat said: “Being involved with this sport for nearly three decades, I have the interest of horse-racing in my heart. If I can help the Turf Club in exposing the culprits, why not?”
Confirming that Popat is helping the Crime Branch in the investigations, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni said: “One of the accused identified as Deepak Popat has submitted an audio clipping which contains 18 communications between him and Katrak. We are looking at all angles to ascertain his involvement in the case. Investigations are on.”
The Turf Club doping scandal, that has top jockey turned-trainer Pesi Shroff at its centre, has taken a dramatic turn with one of the suspects turning police witness and handing over to investigators 18 recorded conversations that indicate that Shroff may have been framed.
Former assistant trainer and avid punter Deepak Popat, who is now helping with the investigations, has told the cops that there was a conspiracy to implicate the former jockey in the doping scandal. He has revealed that Shroff’s rival trainer Cooji Katrak, and a certain Umed Singh were involved in this plan and some top RWITC committee members were in the know of this.
Shroff, who holds the record of riding most number of Indian Derby winners in his heyday as a jockey, and has since made the transition to a successful training career, was banned by the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) for nine months in March this year after Bullseye, a filly he had trained, tested positive for Boldenone, a banned performance-enhancing drug.
But two months before he was disqualified, Shroff filed a police complaint at the Tardeo police station alleging sabotage. The investigations were eventually handed over to the Crime Branch and the initial probe, that included electronic surveillance of some of the key suspects, revealed there was substance in Shroff’s allegations.
A majority of the recorded phone conversations handed over to the cops by Popat are between him, Katrak and Singh. Popat has said that Katrak wanted him to ask Singh to get four Nanoli Stud Farm employees, who were involved in taking care of Bullseye, to sign affidavits saying the filly was indeed injected with Boldenone.
These affidavits, according to Popat, were supposed to be submitted during RWITC’s disciplinary hearing against Shroff on March 12, 2014, which would have resulted in Shroff, former RWITC chairman K N Dhunjibhoy and the stud farm receiving a lengthy ban.
Popat has claimed that Singh set a price of Rs 10 lakh for the job, but Katrak declined to pay. Popat also said Katrak was actively involved in preparing these affidavits for which he was in contact with a Hyderabad-based lawyer.
Popat had filed an anticipatory bail plea in May after he was interrogated by the Crime Branch. He was granted bail on Friday with the police deciding not to oppose his application.
Popat told Mumbai Mirror on Friday that it was his apprehension about being doublecrossed that made him record all his conversations with Katrak and Singh.
Explaining his reasons for turning a witness, Popat said: “Being involved with this sport for nearly three decades, I have the interest of horse-racing in my heart. If I can help the Turf Club in exposing the culprits, why not?”
Confirming that Popat is helping the Crime Branch in the investigations, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni said: “One of the accused identified as Deepak Popat has submitted an audio clipping which contains 18 communications between him and Katrak. We are looking at all angles to ascertain his involvement in the case. Investigations are on.”
