THE owner of a private school in Malvern has been arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs.
Hekmat Kaveh, aged 55, who owns the Abbey College, strenuously denies any wrongdoing.
He was arrested on Wednesday, October 11, at Cheltenham Racecourse after police found a package in his car.
It is understood his home and the school were also searched, and the package is undergoing tests to establish its contents.
Mr Kaveh told the Malvern Gazette he believed the case would be dropped in light of evidence he will present to the police in due course.
The Wells Road college, which charges annual fees of more than £20,000, caters for adults and children aged 14 and over, with the majority of the students coming from overseas.
In its last social care inspection report in November 2007, the school – which also provides boarding accomodation – was rated good overall by Ofsted.
A spokesman at Gloucestershire Police confirmed that a 55-year-old man from Cheltenham was arrested at Cheltenham Racecourse on Wednesday, October 11, on suspicion of possessing class A drugs. He has been released on police bail until Wednesday, November 28.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here