Telugu actor’s kin held for buying drugs

HYDERABAD - A day after two brothers of Telugu film actor Ravi Teja were arrested while buying drugs from a Nigerian national, Hyderabad police were Friday keeping an eye on at least 60 other suspects, including people from the film industry, politics and the high society.

The police Thursday night arrested two brothers of actor Ravi Teja and their associate Naresh in the posh Banjara Hills neighbourhood when they were allegedly buying cocaine from a Nigerian national, Cheema Claymen.

Police seized 51 grams of cocaine from the foreigner and eight grams from the actor’s brothers and their associate. A car and an electronic weighing machine were also seized.

Teja’s brothers, B. Raghunath Raju alias Raghu Babu and Bharat Raju, and the two other accused were brought before the media Friday.

The four were slapped with cases under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and will be presented before a magistrate’s court later.

Police Commissioner A.K. Khan told reporters that the police would set up an anti-drug cell and deal firmly with the menace. The names of some actresses had also cropped up during the questioning and investigations were on, he said.

“We will not only deal firmly with people who are selling drugs but also those who are consuming it,” Khan said. The police are keeping an eye on about 60 people from rich and famous families, he added.

The police commissioner said at least four gangs were operating in the city and were smuggling drugs through Mumbai. He has already written to his Mumbai counterpart seeking cooperation to nab the peddlers.

Khan said the pub culture was promoting the use of drugs. “People in pubs may also consume drugs without even knowing it,” he said, and appealed to parents to control their daughters and sons from falling prey to the drug menace.

Since a large number of foreigners are staying in Hyderabad, the police have decided to keep a close watch on their activities. The Nigerian who was arrested for selling drugs was overstaying in the counrty, he said.

The police have also asked universities to provide details of foreign students on their campuses.

Police were keeping an eye on the actor’s brothers ever since the arrest of a Nigerian early this month when he was found selling drugs. The foreigner had given the names of some of his customers coming from the elite sections of society.