Hyderabad: The Telangana State Narcotics Bureau sleuths carried out a search operation at Tollywood actor Navdeep Pallapolu’s house in Hyderabad on Tuesday, September 19.
Police earlier announced that the Telugu actor was a consumer of drugs and he used to procure it from one of the accused in a drugs case. Navdeep was not present in the house when the TSNAB officers conducted the search operation.
Moreover, the officials claimed to have found solid ‘evidence’ against Navdeep which shows that he used to buy narcotic substances from the people caught in the drug bust earlier.
Recently, the Telangana High Court ordered the police not to arrest Navdeep in the Madhapur drug case until September 19.
The actor was caught in connection with Crime No. 120 of 2023, registered at the Gudimalkapur police station in Hyderabad, for alleged violations of the NDPS Act.
After the actor filed a petition for bail at the HC, his legal representative informed the court that the actor learned of his alleged involvement in the crime through media reports.
Background
Eight people, including the son of a former MP and a film director, were arrested by the Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TSNAB) on Thursday. Police seized 50 grams of MDMA, 24 ecstasy pills, and eight grams of cocaine from them.
Hyderabad police commissioner and TSNAB director CV Anand said that the arrested persons included Devarakonda Suresh Rao, son of former MP D Vittal Rao, film director Anugu Sushanth Reddy and Nigerian peddlers Amobi Chukwudi Muonagolu, Igbawre Micheal, and Thomas Anaga Kalu.
Tollywood actor Navdeep and film producer Ravi Uppalapati were also named in the case but declared absconding. The police then issued summons to the makers of the recently released Telugu film ‘Baby’ for outright portrayal of drug abuse and its glorification.
Meanwhile, contradicting the police’s version, actor Navdeep responded to the development on X saying, “That’s not me gentlemen. I’m right here… Pls clarify thanks.”
Navdeep was among the Tollywood celebrities questioned by the Special Investigation Team of the state Excise and Prohibition Department in connection with a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2017.
The action came as the TSNAB and the city’s Gudimalkapur police were acting upon leads obtained from investigations into recent cases of drug peddling through organised parties.
Anand said that the owners of a few pubs, who were on the run, were also among the accused. He said that police were on the lookout for them.
He further said that a special room was provided at Snort Pub and Terra Cafe and Bistro for customers who wanted to take drugs.
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