Court Discharges Australian National in Drugs Case

An Australian national, Paul Bartels, has been discharged from a drugs case linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput due to a lack of evidence. Arrested in November 2020 based on statements from co-accused, Bartels was alleged to be part of a drug distribution network involving several individuals connected to Rajput. However, the special court, led by Judge Mahesh Jadhav, found no incriminating material or financial transactions tying Bartels to the case. The court highlighted that the statements from co-accused were inadmissible as evidence and that no contraband was found during a search of Bartels' residence. Bartels' lawyers successfully argued that there was no legally admissible evidence against him, making him the first accused to be discharged in this high-profile case.