By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif, held here since June 1 for allegedly possessing drugs as he arrived on a flight from India after playing in the Indian Premier League, will be freed and deported from Dubai, according to reports.
A report in the Gulf News newspaper quoted Dubai public prosecutor Mohammad Al Nuaimi as saying that the cricketer “has been discharged and will be deported from his Dubai detention centre within the next 48 hours”.
“The authorities here are taking a decision today (Thursday) and he is likely to be released and deported,” an official in the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi told IANS.
It could not be confirmed whether charges were levelled against Asif at all.
The 25-year-old fast bowler was detained by customs authorities at the Dubai International Airport June 1 for allegedly possessing drugs.
He was on his way back to Lahore via Dubai from Mumbai where he had played the Indian Premier League (IPL) semifinal for Delhi Daredevils against eventual tournament winners Rajasthan Royals May 30.
Dubai airport customs authorities handed him over to the drugs unit of Dubai Police June 3 and sent his blood and urine samples as well as the drugs found on him for laboratory tests.
The results of the tests were received June 5 and Asif recorded his statement at the office of the chief prosecutor the same day.
Earlier, media reports here, quoting sources, said that the blood and urine samples of the cricketer tested negative and the substance found on Asif was opium.
“We got the lab results on the substance found in Asif’s possession on Thursday and we identified it as being 0.24 gm of opium,” chief prosecutor Mohammed Ali Rustom was quoted as saying.
“When arrested, the suspect said he took the substance to give him energy and said he left this small amount in his wallet by accident,” he added.
Dubai’s chief prosecutor completed his hearing of the cricketer’s case June 8 and then referred it to the attorney general.
Rustom said blood tests did not show Asif had taken any illegal drugs and denied his arrest was the result of a possible tip-off.
Asif was lodged in the Dubai International Airport detention centre all this while.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier backed the player, saying he was innocent till formally charged by the UAE authorities.
It also hired the services of a local legal firm, Angel & Afridi, to aid the cricketer.