Dubai: One of the four Indian youths, arrested last year on drug charges, has been sentenced to four years in jail by a court, a media report said today (Feb 08, 2004).

Prasad Divadkar, 25, has appealed against the conviction and the court of appeal is expected to issue ruling later this month, the 'Gulf News' reported.

Divadkar will be deported after serving the jail term, the report said.

He and three friends Farhan Azmi, 22, son of Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azim Azmi, Shaan Uttam Singh, 32, grandson of a Bollywood film producer and Bonito Chhabria and son of automobile designer Dilip Chhabria, were arrested at a Dubai hotel in October last year by anti-narcotics officers on suspicion of drug abuse.

Police said they found a quantity of drugs believed to be cocaine and hashish in their hotel room as well as in the rented car they were using.

Divadkar was the only suspect kept in police custody, while his three companions were released and have returned to India.

The court had dismissed all charges filed against Azmi after judges decided his alleged drug taking might have taken place before he had arrived in the UAE (United Arab Emirates). The court also dismissed charges against Singh and Chhabria.