No symptom of drug overdose: Rahul's family doc

Rahul Mahajan, who was admitted to Apollo Hospital here today for suspected poisoning, continues to be critical and has been put on life support system.

Rahul is the son of Late Pramod Mahajan, former BJP general secretary who was killed by his brother last month.

Rahul's condition is a "bit serious" but stable and the next 24 hours are critical for his health, Dr Nirmal Surya, his family physician, said at the hospital here. He claimed that Rahul did not show any symptom of drug overdose.

However, doctors are yet to ascertain the substance consumed by him at a late night party, attended by three unidentified persons, where his father's secretary Vivek Moitra was also present.

Moitra was brought in dead to Apollo after suspected food poisoning while Mahajan was admitted to the intensive care unit in the wee hours.

"Some toxin has affected his respiratory system. We do know what it is. It is hard to tell now," said Surya, who flew in from Mumbai after hearing about Rahul's condition.

He said Mahajan, 26, had been taking anti-depressants for the last three years and had increased the dosage two days back as he had been feeling low after his father's death.

"Rahul had been suffering from anxiety and depression since a meningitis attack in 2002 and this had aggravated after his father's death," Surya said.

He, however, ruled out the possibility of any reaction of anti-depressants with liquor as the quantity of his medicinal intake was very less. Mahajan allegedly had consumed champagne during the late night party.

Besides internal medicine specialist Prasad Rao, the team of doctors attending on him include nephrologists and cardiologists.