The Bombay High Court is set to hear the bail plea of two senior employees of the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, who were arrested in connection with a drug overdose death case linked to a music concert held at the venue. Sunny Jain, 31, a senior manager for live events, and Balkrishna Kurup, 46, vice-president of Live Events and Intellectual Property, are challenging their arrest and seeking bail after a magistrate denied their request on April 18.

The arrests occurred on April 13, following a concert titled '9x9' held at NESCO on April 11. During or shortly after the event, three attendees fell seriously ill, with two of them succumbing to their condition. Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims had consumed MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, a banned substance. Police officials have suggested the possibility of a drug network involving some accused individuals.

In their petition, submitted through advocate Rishi Bhuta, Jain and Kurup argued that they were performing their professional responsibilities and had no direct or indirect connection to any alleged drug-related offenses. They assert that they played no role in security arrangements at the event and that there is no evidence linking them to the procurement, distribution, or use of illicit drugs. Furthermore, no contraband has been recovered from either individual.

The petitioners have also questioned the legality of their arrest, citing procedural lapses under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, especially concerning the failure to adequately communicate the grounds of their detention. Although relatives were informed about the arrests, Jain and Kurup claim that the reasons were not formally conveyed to them, as mandated by law.

Kurup, whose mother tongue is Malayalam, contended that the grounds of arrest were presented in Marathi—a language he does not understand—and were not explained to him despite his requests. The plea maintains that this lack of comprehension constitutes a violation of constitutional safeguards under Article 22.

Both employees emphasized their cooperation with the ongoing investigation and stated that custodial interrogation is no longer necessary. They cited the absence of evidence, lack of any connection to a drug cartel, and delays in the trial process as additional grounds supporting their bail application. Kurup further noted medical conditions requiring ongoing treatment that warrant consideration.

The court is anticipated to address the bail application during proceedings today.