Date:05/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/05/stories/2006060516841300.htm

National

Traces of drugs, alcohol found

Staff Reporter

Presence of cocaine, opiates, cannabinoids, barbiturates seen in Rahul's samples

Samples sent to private laboratory for quantitative analysis

Alcohol in blood is within permissible limits

NEW DELHI: Although Apollo Hospital authorities on Saturday said that Rahul Mahajan tested negative for narcotics in the toxic screen test, Dr. Lal's Path Labs here has found traces of drugs and alcohol in his urine and blood samples.

Mr. Mahajan's samples were forwarded for testing to the private laboratory by Apollo Hospital as per protocol for "quantitative" analysis.

Mr. Mahajan was admitted to Apollo Hospital on Friday morning in an unconscious state with low blood pressure and oxygen level.

He was put on a ventilator and treated for "multiple organ dysfunction." According to hospital authorities, his condition is stable and improving.

Urine samples submitted for testing at Dr. Lal Path Labs have shown presence of cocaine (3.9 mg/litre as against a range of {lt} 300); cholinesterase (3,674 as against a range of 3,167 - 6,333); opiates (8.52 as against a range of {lt} 300): barbiturates (82.22 as against a range of {lt} 200), benzodiazipine (211.19 as against a range of {lt} 200): and cannabinoids (8.83 as against a range of {lt} 50).

The presence of alcohol in blood is 18.4 (within permissible limits) as against 100 that is considered to be the legally intoxicated level.

Mr. Mahajan's urine sample had traces of opiates and barbiturates (substances found in drugs prescribed to calm a person), benzodiazipine (a non-narcotic sedative), cannabinoids (which belongs to the family of restricted drugs including `ganja') and cocaine.

"While these are all very low levels of narcotic substances in Mr. Mahajan's body, it should be noted that the patient would have tested negative for these substance had he not taken them at all," said Delhi Medical Council member Anil Bansal.

"However, there is a possibility of these substances having being diluted in the body by way of him having vomited or passed urine, before samples were collected. Also, cocaine is a fast metabolising substance and the manner in which it is taken in has great significance of how long it can remain detectable in the body," he added.