Hearing in Moinabad Drugs Case Deferred to March 20
On March 14, the EAGLE team, along with the Moinabad police, raided a farmhouse owned by Rohith Reddy in Moinabad.
Hyderabad: A day after the Moinabad police sought the custody of BRS ex-MLA ‘Pilot’ Rohith Reddy, his brother Ritesh and Delhi-based builder Namit Sharma in the Moinabad drugs case, the court deferred the date of the next hearing to March 20. On Tuesday, based on orders from the DGP, a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed.
The police had sought a 10-day custody of the three accused to investigate a suspected drug cartel. “After hearing arguments from both sides, the court said it would pronounce its decision about whether the custody should be given or not, on March 20. We will most likely be seeking a 10-day custody to investigate whether it is just an ordinary consumption habit or a drug cartel running behind the scenes,” an official from the investigation team said.
On March 14, the EAGLE team, along with the Moinabad police, raided a farmhouse owned by Rohith Reddy in Moinabad. Those present included TDP MP Putta Mahesh, advocates and real-estate businessmen. Namit Sharma opened fire at the police while they were trying to enter the premises. Following instant drug tests, five out of the 11 present at the party tested positive. A blood test later confirmed six had consumed drugs. Police said that while Putta Mahesh tested positive for methamphetamine, Namit Sharma tested positive for MDMA, suspected to have been mixed with alcohol.
A senior official from EAGLE said that while cocaine was brought to the party by Kaushik Ravi, other drugs may have been brought from Delhi by Namit Sharma. He was brought to the party by the TDP MP, who is suspected to have arrived in Hyderabad from Delhi along with Namit on the day of the raid. “We are yet to analyse how they brought the drugs and whether they evaded checks with the help of some connections. But we strongly suspect it was Namit who may have brought the drugs to the party,” the official said. Police also said that Namit Sharma, a builder closely associated with political circles in Delhi, is under verification for his criminal history.
During the raid, two packets of a white substance were recovered. While instant tests confirmed it was cocaine, police are sending it for FSL to confirm the nature of the substance. Meanwhile, mobile phones of the accused are also being sent for FSL to track payment details. Senior officials are seeking to cancel the gun licence of Ritesh Reddy, whose weapon was used to open fire at the police during the raid. The investigation continues.
