New Delhi: Indian businessman Ness Wadia, son of business tycoon Nusli Wadia, has reportedly been sentenced to a two-year jail term, for drugs possession in Japan, where he had gone to spend his holidays.  The inheritor of one of India’s wealthiest business families, was on a skiing holiday to Japan when he was caught with about 25 grams of what was apparently cannabis resin. Reacting to the sentencing, Wadia Group said that it's a suspended sentence and hence it won't impact Ness in the discharge of any of his responsibilities.

As per a report in the Financial Times, Wadia, heir to the 283-year-old Wadia Group and co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab cricket team, was arrested in early March at New Chitose Airport in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Citing court officials in Sapparo, the report said that Wadia admitted to possession, arguing that the drug was for his personal use.

According to a brief report carried by a local Hokkaido station of state broadcaster NHK, customs officials at New Chitose were alerted to Wadia by sniffer dogs and a search revealed that he had about 25g of what appeared to be cannabis resin in his trouser pocket.

Wadia spent a period in detention before his indictment on March 20 and an undisclosed period of detention before a court hearing.  The Sapporo District Court handed him a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended for five years.

Japan where the narcotic laws are already very strict, are being applied especially tightly these days.

The Wadia scion was the Joint Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing, the flagship company of the Wadia Group, till March 2011 when he stepped down from the post. Wadia is a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kings XI Punjab.

Statement by Wadia Group: 

Spokesperson of the Wadia Group while reacting to the sentencing of Ness told news agency ANI, "Ness Wadia is in India. The judgement is clear. It's a suspended sentence. Hence it won't impact Ness Wadia in the discharge of any of his responsibilities."

Wadia Group shares plunge: 

After Ness Wadia's sentencing, the shares of the Wadia Group plummeted up to 17 percent, business reports said on Tuesday. As per Economic Times,  shares of Bombay Dyeing, Bombay Burmah and National Peroxide fell by 17%, 6% and 5% respectively.

Troubles with Preity Zinta 

Ness Wadia formerly dated Bollywood actress Preity Zinta for several years, and it was then Wadia shot to the headlines of all media, but their relationship ended at an ugly note, with the two slapping each other with lawsuits. Wadia was locked in feud with the actress post their break-up. In 2014, Preity Zinta filed a complaint against Ness Wadia accusing him of molestation, threats and abuse. The Wadias later claimed that they received threat calls and messages from an underworld don asking them to "stop running around Zinta, otherwise their business would be in trouble".