Didn't consume drugs, confident of being proven innocent: Parnell

South African cricketer Wayne Parnell today denied that he was present at a rave party when detained by the police in Mumbai on Sunday saying he was leaving another party which he attended with friends, and denied consuming any narcotics.

“We weren’t aware of any drugs there and it wasn’t any rave party. It was just unfortunate that were there,” Parnell told Times Now.

Parnell and Indian cricketer Rahul Sharma were detained by the police after a raid on a hotel in Juhu. The police had said a rave party had been held at the Oakwoods Hotel in Juhu in which around 100 persons had been detained and narcotics seized.

The South African cricketer said he had gone to the hotel along with Sharma to attend the birthday party of a friend. The party was held on the roof of the hotel by a swimming pool and no drugs were consumed, the cricketer said.

He had met the organisers of the party during last year’s IPL tournament and had been in touch since then. Among those present at the party included models and others the cricketer said he didn’t know.

“They just said it was one of their friend’s birthday so we went there to meet them,” he said, adding that since the IPL was over they had decided to attend the party.

Parnell’s team Pune Warriors has been eliminated from this year’s playoffs.

Parnell said he and Sharma were on their way out of the hotel when they were detained by the police for questioning and made to undergo blood and urine tests.

“Unfortunate it’s being called a rave party but we know it’s just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.

Parnell said that the incident wasn’t an indication of a previous drug habit since he was a professional athlete and was regularly tested for consumption of drugs and performance enhancing medication.

“I am sure that nothing will show in blood and urine tests,” he said, adding that he and Sharma had been extending all co-operation to the police and would continue to do so.