Ness Wadia sentenced to 2 years jail term for carrying cannibal resin by Sapporo District Court, Japan
Ness Wadia, the Managing Director of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation and co-owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisee – Kings XI Punjab has been sentenced to a 2 years of jail term by Sapporo District Court, Japan for possessing Hashish, a banned drug (also known as
cannabis resin) drugs.
He was on a skiing holiday when he was caught with 25 gms. of cannabis resin in his trouser pocket at New Chitose Airport in the Northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. He admitted to carrying cannabis resin and said that it was for his personal consumption.
Cannabis Resin is a dark to light brown substance which is scraped off the surface of the Cannabis Plant and pressed into a solid lump. Usually smoked in a hand-made cigarette, it is often mixed with tobacco, or in a pipe or water pipe.
Ness also spent a period in detention before his indictment on March 20, 2019 and an undisclosed period of detention before a court hearing.
Soon after the Court order, shares of the Wadia Group fell up to 17% today, i.e., Tuesday, April 30, 2019. However, the group believes that this will not have any impact on any of their businesses.
Speaking on the Court orders, the Spokesperson of Wadia Group said, “Ness is now back in India. The judgement is clear. It is a suspended sentence. Hence it will not impact Ness Wadia in the discharge of any of his responsibilities and he will continue to play the role that he has done hitherto, both within the Group and outside.”
The Wadia Group is one of the oldest multi interest business conglomerates of India. It was founded by Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia in 1736. Its current Chairman is Nusli Wadia, whose 2 sons – Jehangir and Ness – are actively involved in running the group businesses. Ness Wadia serves as the Managing Director of the Bombay Burmah Trading Company Limited which has holdings in most of the Wadia Group subsidiaries.
He also serves as Director on the boards of various Wadia Group companies – Britannia Industries Ltd., Bombay Dyeing, Go Air Airlines and Wadia Techno Engineering Services. Ness Wadia is also a trustee of the Sir Ness Wadia Foundation and other charitable trusts linked to the Wadia family.
