Mumbai police find evidence of alleged horseracing doping conspiracy

While the police investigation was underway, the steward’s body of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC)³  issued a nine-month ban against Shroff, effective March 29, 2014 to December 31, 2014, for being vicariously liable for the incident as the horse’s trainer.⁴

In March 2014, Shroff appealed his ban⁵ to the RWITC’s Board of Appeal (BoA), maintaining his innocence and continuing to allege that he has been conspired against.⁶

The RWITC appointed theAnimal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)⁷ to investigate the matter.   The AWBI finalised its report in May 2014 and its findings are to be considered as fresh evidence. ⁸ The Board of Appeal then referred this case back to the stewards’ body, who initially imposed this ban.⁹

Under Article 43 and 44 of the Rules of Racing, the stewards’ body can hear any case referred to them from the BoA on a de novo basis (i.e. afresh) and, if satisfied with the new evidence, can re-open any aspect of the case.¹⁰ Shroff now awaits a decision regarding his nine-month ban.

As of August 2014, the results from the four-month long investigation conducted by the Mumbai crime branch¹¹ on Shroff’s initial police report concluded that there are may be valid grounds for Shroff’s conspiracy allegations.¹²

The Mumbai crime branch’s findings resulted in four employees of a Maval-based stud farm, where Shroff trained Bullseye, being arrested on August 8, 2014.¹³