Talk of the Town

The 13-kg gold mystery

Forget gold rates falling — Hyderabad’s jewellers are shocked at the Rs 20.59-crore complaint filed by Sudhir Agarwal, Neeraj Agarwal, Ganesh Lal and Rakesh Agarwal against Nitin Gulabani, alleging a fraud of 13 kg gold! City jewellers wonder how could anyone part with gold worth Rs 20 crore, just on trust! Crooks feel at best they will be in jail for few months and then come out, so this is their modus operandi of making good money.

Jayesh Ranjan missed the bus?

That’s the buzz in babudom over the race for the Chief Secretary’s post. With Sanjay Jaju’s repatriation to the state earlier this week, speculation has reached fever pitch, with many suggesting that his return is a clear indication that he could be Telangana’s next CS. The 1992-batch IAS officer has been on Central deputation for over 15 years. Sources say the sudden repatriation of officers serving at the Centre to their parent cadres usually happens only after a state government has made up its mind and informally sounded out the officer concerned, setting the process in motion. Friends of Jayesh Ranjan argue that he wasn’t interested in the CS post. He’s always been in IT and would like to continue there till he retires.

Rosy business

 Lakshmi Manchu’s association with luxury fine jewellery brand House of Rose continues to spark interest in Hyderabad’s social circles. The actress recently joined hands with the brand for an exclusive Mumbai experience, where a select group of Hyderabad’s prominent women were invited to preview rare gemstone creations and collector-worthy jewellery pieces over a curated lunch by a Michelin-starred chef. Among those attending were Armitha Reddy, Hanshitha, Swetha Tulla, Manjali, Megha, Divya Boppanna, Shravya Varma and Deepthi Alapati.

The collaboration is not new — Lakshmi has frequently partnered with House of Rose for intimate trunk shows, private showcases and high-society gatherings, while also wearing the brand’s creations at charity initiatives linked to her Teach for Change foundation. With an invite-only showcase of the collection planned in Hyderabad later this July, the city’s luxury set is already buzzing about who will make the guest list.

Happy for Sam

Actor Samantha is in a happy space now — her film is a hit, she’s expecting her first baby and husband Raj is truly a supportive, wonderful partner. Like they say bad times do not last for ever. The biggest high for anyone is to get overwhelming support from their fraternity. And Tollywood is being nice to Samantha. From Chiranjeevi to D Suresh Babu and Swapna Dutt, they were very generous in their praise for her and her film.

A museum makeover on the cards?

Hyderabad’s heritage circles are buzzing after a World Monuments Fund (WMF) delegation led by Executive Director Malini Tandon visited the Telangana State Museum. While officially a courtesy visit, insiders believe bigger plans may be taking shape. The delegation reportedly admired the museum’s rare antiquities and held discussions on conservation, collaboration and possible funding support. The timing is particularly interesting, coming soon after the Telangana government’s Heritage Partners Initiative, which identified 25 heritage sites — 20 in Hyderabad and five elsewhere — for conservation through public-private partnerships. Among the landmarks on the list are Osmania General Hospital, Purana Pul, City College, Wanaparthy Palace and Taramati Baradari. Could the long-neglected museum be next in line for a facelift backed by international expertise? Heritage watchers certainly think so.

Who, What, When, Where, Why

 Who is Rohini Manian from Chennai? We hear she’s in the real estate business and recently helped a Hyderabad businessman sell his property in the exclusive Boat Club road in Chennai, for Rs 210 crores.

 What is Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar warning parents about? With an increasing number of complaints of fraud on mobile phones, investigations by the cybercrime cell often suggest that a child at home is the one making in-game purchases from a saved card or UPI account on a family device, with no hacking or outsider involved. Many such calls trace back to a grandparent’s phone, more likely to have a saved card, logged-in UPI or open net banking account and less likely to be monitored.

 When news appeared about an ST/SC case being booked on Dr Gurva Reddy and Dr Sudhir Reddy, people could not believe it because both doctors are extremly professional and kind to everyone. This certainly appears to be a false allegation to harm their reputation.

Where did one spot MP Renuka Chowdary, Jayesh Ranjan, Rajveev Reddy dining out recently? At Fire Back restaurant. It’s a new eatery started by Rohit Katter, of Indian Accent fame and he has been inviting all the important people in the city to come and taste the food. He’s also hoping his goodwill will help him get the liquor licence!

Why are people whispering about some doctors in the city for earning phenomenal wealth in the last few years? “Doctors, surgeons, cosmetologists are making a lot of money today. Their luxurious homes, expensive cars, limited edition watches... all this comes from what we pay — dental treatment, diagonstic tests, regular beauty treatments... have all gone up 100 x, and their wealth too,” is what a group of ladies were discussing at a kitty party.