The hidden ‘character’ in the Sonali Phogat drug saga – Grand Leoney resort

Team Herald

PANJIM: In a new but perfectly understandable twist in the drug saga that the Sonali Phogat case is turning out to be, the legal team of Curlies has questioned why the Grand Leoney Resort in Vagator where Phogat and her companions turned accused checked in, has been brought into the ambit of questioning, according to the state complaint and the FIR filed by the Anjuna PI. (in possession of Herald in full).

AT LEONEY, DRUGS WERE AVAILABLE AS ROOM SERVICE

It was clear that the trio hungrily started buying and consuming MDMA, conveniently brought to them by the room boy of Hotel Grand Leoney Resort, Vagator almost immediately after check-in. This could not have been a coincidence and points to well-oiled machinery if a smooth handover of drugs, to the door of the hotel. This is called last-mile connectivity.

 Arguing on behalf of Nunes, who runs and manages Curlies restaurant, senior counsel Adv Surendra Desai brought to the notice of the Court that the police had not taken any action against Grad Leoney Resort, Vagator, where the drugs were sold to the alleged murder accused and accomplices of Sonali Phogat. 

He charged that even though the hotel was named in the FIR and the panchanama by the police, the hotel owner was not quizzed because it belongs to the “friend of a politician.”

Leoney to Curlies: Some MDMA for the road and after, please

Adv Desai argued that the FIR and panchanama clearly shows that MDMA was purchased at the said hotel and consumed there and both the accused came to Curlies restaurant on the pretext of partying at 11.30 pm. Simply quoting from the police complaint, (which Herald has verified) Desai stated that some balance was put in an empty bottle and brought to Curlies while the remaining quantity was kept in a packet in his trouser pocket by one of the accused.

Then they allegedly mixed the “obnoxious substance” in the drinking water and forced Sonali to drink it.

Dope in a bottle, and then in the tank

After some time, Sonali felt uneasy and went to the toilet where the duo – Sudhir Pal Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh realised that she overdosed. The accused put the balanced drugs in a bottle and hid it in the toilet flush tank on the first floor of Curlies. They then took Sonali back to the hotel room where she died, Adv Desai said.

The defence counsel argued that everything right from consumption to death took place at Grand Leoney Resort, Vagator and the hotel owner was not touched because of his political connections. But nonetheless his client Nunes was targeted only to divert attention, he said adding that the FIR and the panchanama clearly show that the MDMA was purchased at the neighbouring hotel but no action has been taken against the hotel owner. He said that the arrest was bad in law as none of the sections 25, 29, and 22 (b) of the NDPS Act, is prima facie applicable.

Adv Desai also stated that Nunes has cooperated with the police right from August 24 and charged that the whole weight of the obnoxious substance was taken in a polythene bag to make it look more than what it is in order to turn it into a grievous offence, which should have otherwise been a small quantity.

Adv Desai said that Nunes was not the owner of Curlies and it is owned by his sister Linnet as all the documents were registered in her name.

It is learned that Linnet Nunes has filed an anticipatory bail application before the Fast Track Court, Mapusa. Adv Desai was assisted by Raju Paulekar.