Fardeen held guilty of trying to buy cocaine

Mumbai, Oct 4 (IANS) A court Tuesday found actor Fardeen Khan guilty of attempting to buy cocaine in 2001 but dropped charges that he had over two grams of the drug. Yet the actor could face six months imprisonment.

The sentence will be pronounced Nov 2. Fardeen, however, appeared pleased with the ruling.

'I have been charged only with attempting to buy cocaine. Charges pertaining to possession of cocaine have been dropped,' he told reporters outside the court.

'This is something we have been appealing for 10 years. I am extremely happy,' said the actor-son of the late Feroz Khan.

Aged 37, Fardeen took to acting in 1998 and has starred in over 20 movies including 'Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya' and 'No Entry'.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Fardeen in Juhu here May 5, 2001 on charges of possessing cocaine.

Nasir Shaikh, who allegedly sold him the drug, and Tony Gomes, who allegedly supplied it to Shaikh, were also arrested.

Charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, Fardeen claimed he had tried to buy only one gram of cocaine as against the NCB claim that nine grams of the drug were found on him and Shaikh.

According to the NDPS Act, less than two grams is considered a small quantity. An accused can face up to six months in prison for possessing a small quantity of the drug.