Drug Party: Main Accused Procured Substance From Goa, Film Industry Back Under Lens

Hyderabad: The police on Tuesday said they are focussing their probe into the Radisson drug party into identifying the main accused, Syed Abbas, who is believed to have procured cocaine from Goa for distribution in the city.

Suspecting Abbas to be supplying drugs to members of the Tollywood industry and celebrities, the police said that they found Abbas had supplied the drug to Gajjala Vivekanand, son of BJP leader Yoganand and director of Manjeera Group, who was arrested in the case.

On Tuesday, the police also questioned film director Jagarlamudi Krish in connection with the case, who had attended the party and claimed he did not consume drugs. He has assured to cooperate with the probe, the police said.

Madhapur DCP D.R. Vineeth said that initial findings suggest Abbas has been distributing drugs for years, and no fewer than 10 times to Vivekanand.

“Abbas is a resident of Old City. He previously worked with Manjeera Group as an accountant. However, he stopped working there after Covid-19 due to financial difficulties.

There is a possibility that Abbas was involved in drug peddling within the industry, and we are investigating whom he supplied drugs to. It's possible that some individuals from the Tollywood industry may also be involved,” the cop said.

Sources said that Abbas had turned to peddling drugs to make easy money, as he sold one gram of cocaine for Rs 40,000-Rs 50,000. They said Vivekanand played a pivotal role in helping Abbas make contacts in the film industry and his close contacts.

Besides Abbas, three others, named as Lishi, Shweta and Sandeep, are currently on the run from the police.

Lishi was previously apprehended in a drugs case two years ago, at the Pudding & Mink pub in Radisson Blu of Banjara Hills. Lishi, who was held along with her sister, had then claimed they only ordered food and did not consume drugs.

The police said that the others they apprehended claimed not to have consumed cocaine, but they will be put through medical tests to ascertain the truth.

“These tests will examine blood, urine, nails and hair follicles for drug traces. They can detect drug symptoms in the blood even up to three months after use,” said Gachibowli police inspector Jemes Babu.