May 24, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 07, 1428

NEW DELHI, May 23: A court ordered the release on bail of former Indian cricket star Maninder Singh on Wednesday, a day after he was arrested for allegedly possessing 1.5 grams (0.05 ounces) of cocaine, police said.

Maninder was expected to be freed within hours from New Delhi's Tihar prison after submitting documents, including a bail bond for Rs50,000 ($1,190), said A.S. Cheema, deputy commissioner of police.

“On account of quantity being small, you are released on bail,” the Press Trust of India news agency quoted Judge S.C. Malik as saying.

If convicted, Maninder could be jailed for six months and fined Rs10,000 ($240), Cheema said.

Police picked up Maninder near his New Delhi apartment on Tuesday as he was leaving for the airport to fly to Mumbai for a short vacation, Cheema told reporters.

Local cricket coach Sayyam Siddique was with Maninder at the time of the raid, and was arrested for allegedly carrying 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of hashish, Cheema said.

The court refused bail to Siddique, and sent him to police custody for two days for questioning.

Maninder, who played for India in the 1980s, told the police he has been using cocaine for the past two years to try to cope with family problems, Cheema said.

Drug trafficking in India is punishable by 10-20 years in jail, while consumption of illegal drugs draws a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Maninder, a left-arm spinner, played 35 Tests for India, along with 59 limited-overs internationals. He is currently a popular radio and television cricket commentator.—AP