At least five people, including former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, tested positive for drug consumption after a police raid at a farmhouse near Hyderabad, officials said on Sunday.
The raid was conducted late Saturday night by the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) along with local police after receiving information that a drug party was underway at the farmhouse owned by Rohith Reddy.
According to Chevella Deputy Commissioner of Police Yogesh Gautam, the team raided the VMR farmhouse in Moinabad after intelligence inputs suggested narcotics were being consumed at the gathering.
A total of 10 people, including one woman, were present at the farmhouse when the police arrived. Those attending the gathering included politicians, real estate businessmen and other professionals.
Among those present were Rohith Reddy, Putta Mahesh Kumar, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP from Eluru, and several real estate professionals.
GUN FIRED AFTER POLICE ARRIVED
Police said one of the attendees, identified as Delhi-based real estate businessman Namith Mishra, fired shots into the air after noticing the EAGLE team.
Officials said the weapon used in the firing was a licensed gun belonging to another attendee, Ritesh Reddy. The police recovered the firearm along with one live round and one empty shell. Authorities are investigating the circumstances behind the firing.
5 TEST POSITIVE FOR DRUG CONSUMPTION
Drug tests were conducted on the individuals present at the farmhouse, with five testing positive for narcotics consumption. Those who tested positive include Rohith Reddy, Namith Mishra, Ritesh Reddy, Kaushik Ravi and Arjun Reddy, police said. Blood samples of the individuals have been sent to a hospital for further confirmation.
SUSPECTED NARCOTICS SEIZED
During the raid, police also recovered about two grams of a white powder suspected to be narcotics. The exact nature of the substance will be determined after laboratory testing.
Officials said the five individuals who tested positive claimed they had not consumed drugs at the farmhouse and alleged they had taken them elsewhere earlier.
FURTHER PROBE UNDERWAY
Police said the gathering was described by the attendees as a weekend networking party organised by Rohith Reddy. Meanwhile, cordon-and-search operations are being conducted at several farmhouses in the area as part of a broader crackdown, with intelligence teams also involved in the probe.
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