HYDERABAD: The police on Friday put Tollywood and the high society of Hyderabad on notice, warning unnamed actors and special people that they were under watch for drug abuse and would be hauled up if prosecutable evidence presented itself.
Calling a press conference the day after police arrested actor Ravi Teja’s two brothers and a friend of theirs for buying cocaine from a Nigerian, police commissioner A K Khan said the cops are in the know of drug abuse by dozens of film stars and scions of important persons, and would actively pursue any leads they get to nail them under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).
He also said nine ‘prestigious’ pubs and discos were actively engaged in disseminating drugs among their youthful clientele and they would be cracked down upon ruthlessly.
The supply of party drugs at these establishments, and the environment of substance abuse they host have been the subject of loud whispers in recent weeks ever since the spree of arrests of Nigerian drug peddlers began. Actor Ravi Teja’s brothers B Bharat Raju and B Raghunath Raju and their friend D Naresh were caught buying 6 gm of cocaine from Nigerian peddler Cheema Clement on Banjara Hills Road No 2 on Thursday.
Earlier this month, police secured leads and telephone numbers of brat pack actors and actresses catered to by another Nigerian peddler Ohazurike they arrested. Khan said they couldn’t move on those leads because they would have to prove possession of narcotic substances to make the NDPS rap stick. But they got that opportunity with the Ravi Teja brothers and moved in on them on Thursday night.
“We have credible information that about 65 prominent persons, including some actresses and entrepreneurs, regularly consume cocaine and other banned drugs. We are waiting for an opportunity to nab them while in possession of the drug as is required by law," Khan said.
He also said the managements of nine prominent pubs -- most of them in the Jubilee Hills-Madhapur belt -- are hand in glove with the drug racket.
“They serve drinks spiked with drugs to a select clientele. This will be dangerous especially for girls, who may get habituated to the pub culture. Practices like spiking can also be done against girls with ulterior motives. So we request parents, especially of girls to keep a watch on the movement of their children," Khan said.
Khan also said the police would keep special watch on the 4,000 or so foreign students in the city among whom are suspected to be several drug runners.