HYDERABAD: The Special Investigation Team of Prohibition & Excise department of Telangana on Thursday questioned Tollywood cinematographer Shyam K Naidu in connection with the drug racket. The six-hour-long questioning with a few breaks in between, reportedly did not help the sleuths to connect him to Calvin Mascarenhas, the alleged kingpin of the racket, said sources.
Naidu reached the SIT office at 9.30 am but the officials started questioning only after 10 am. “He cooperated with the sleuths. Unlike Puri Jagannath, who was grilled for 10 hours, the officials did not take blood or hair samples from Naidu,” said sources.
Meanwhile, in order to keep a check on prohibited items being delivered from foreign countries, the Excise officials have called courier firms DHL, Blue Dart, and Fedex to the SIT office. The courier firms were asked to not encourage delivery of such items.
In another development, a team of six officers from Prohibition and Excise department would attend training session organised by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on Combating Drug Trafficking, in Bengaluru. The training would be attended by a team led by deputy commissioner Vivekananda Reddy from July 24 to 28.
‘Limit students’ access to money’
Hyderabad: The Prohibition and Excise department along with education department has called on schools and colleges to adopt preventive measures aimed at isolating youth from gaining access to drugs. Schools and colleges have been asked to sensitise students and lecturers on issue of drug abuse. They have also been asked to monitor popular student hang out areas near their premises.
‘Film industry will hold anti-drug campaign’
Vijayawada: Noted film producer Dil Raju said the Telugu film industry will organise anti-drug campaigns shortly in order to create awareness among artists about the ill effects of drugs. Dil Raju was in Vijayawada on Thursday to promote his upcoming film ‘Fida’,
along with film director Sekhar Kammula and actor Varun Tej.
KTR inadvertently acknowledges ‘heir’ status
In IT Minister KT Rama Rao’s response to Congress leader Digvijaya Singh lies an implicit admission that he is his father CM K Chandrasekhar Rao’s Heir apparent’.