Kasol rave party: 3 FIRs, a court probe and the missing Israeli national

Kullu’s then Deputy Commissioner Anurag Chander Sharma and SP Madan Lal have already been transferred out of the district on the directions of the Himachal Pradesh High Court that had taken note of the rave parties in Kullu and directed police to launch a thorough probe. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity told The Indian Express that Yash Pal and Ishwar Singh (the two accused) joined the investigation in FIR No. 50 and told police that they had taken two chaugans (grassland areas) near Grahan Nullah on lease from local villagers to organise ‘music nights’. The officer further claimed that the two men disclosed the name of an Israeli national who had allegedly entered into a verbal partnership with them to organise a party from June 7 to June 11. Police say the Israeli national has since left the country.

The Israeli national also figures in the proceedings relating to Ishwar Singh’s bail application. During the July 13 hearing, counsel for Ishwar Singh submitted that although the land where the rave party was organised belonged to him, he had allegedly given it to an Israeli national with the permission of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Kullu. The counsel, however, conceded that no document establishing the alleged lease had been provided to the investigating agency. The High Court granted ten days to produce complete documents, if any, concerning the alleged leasing of the land to the Israeli national, who was claimed to have organised the party.

The three FIRs, accused & recoveries made

FIR 49: 0.96 gram cocaine recovered

The first case, FIR No. 49, was registered under Section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, against Rahul Sai, 33, a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala. According to the FIR, a police team conducting patrol and law-and-order checks in the New Forest/Green Forest area reached Grahan Nullah near Munch Production around 10.30 pm. The music had stopped when the police arrived. Police allegedly noticed Rahul Sai trying to conceal a waist bag.

On checking the bag, officers recovered a white packet containing a substance identified as cocaine. The FIR records the recovered substance, including its packaging, and states that the cocaine weighed 0.96 gram. The police account also says that people present at the spot declined to act as independent witnesses, citing personal reasons including their foreign nationality.

FIR 50: Cocaine, charas, Ecstasy and LSD

The second case, FIR No. 50, was registered against Chirag Bhatia, 32, of Kharar in Mohali under Sections 20, 21 and 22 of the NDPS Act. The FIR alleges recovery of 1.31 grams of cocaine, 2.7 grams of charas, two Ecstasy tablets and five portions of LSD paper. According to the police account, the team reached the Munch Production area during night patrol and found Bhatia standing near the stage. He allegedly attempted to hide a black bag.

A search of the bag allegedly resulted in the recovery of the substances and tablets. Police later added Section 25 of the NDPS Act to the case and named Yash Pal and Ishwar Singh as accused. Section 25 deals with a person who knowingly allows premises or other property under their control to be used for an offence under the NDPS Act.

FIR 61: Unlicensed liquor service

The third FIR, registered on July 7, shifted the investigation beyond narcotics. This FIR names Yash Pal and Ishwar Singh under Section 39(2)(i) of the Himachal Pradesh Excise Act, 2011. According to the FIR, a police team investigating FIR Nos. 49 and 50 encountered Yash Pal at the Kasol roundabout on July 7. He allegedly produced documents relating to his interim bail in FIR No. 50 and accompanied the police to Grahan Nullah, where the party had been held.

Police said an informer subsequently alleged that, apart from narcotics, liquor had also been served to customers during the night of June 9. The FIR records that Yash Pal allegedly admitted that he and Ishwar Singh had operated a food stall and served liquor, including beer and whisky, without a permit or licence. Police said Yash Pal failed to produce any licence or permit, leading to the registration of the excise case. The offence is bailable, and the two men were subsequently released on bail after their arrest in the case.