Hyderabad: The ongoing interrogation of prominent personalities from Tollywood especially the Actors of the industry by the SIT into the drug case, CM KCR speaking on it, said none of the actors will be sentenced jail term as they will be considered as victims in the drug involvement case.
According to the Narcotics Drugs and Pyshotropic Sunstances Act the addicts will be as treated accused and can be held liable in the drugs case but CM has asked the SIT officials to treat the actors involved in the drugs case as victims but not accused.
In a review meeting with the Enforcement wing which also included Anurag Sharma, Director General of Police, M. Mahender Reddy Hyderabad Police commissioner, Dr R.V. Chandravadan, Prohibition and Excise commissioner, Intelligence IG Naveen Chand, security IG Mrugesh Kumar Singh, Director of Excise Enforcement Dr Akun Sabharwal, and Joint Commissioners of police Shahnawaz Qasim (Cyberabad) and Tarun Joshi (Rachakonda), which identified 12 personalities from Tollywood as guilty, CM said: “We don’t consider them as accused persons as they are just victims. Trafficking and selling of drugs is a crime but consuming it is not”.
“By questioning these persons, the investigation agency will get information on peddlers and suppliers, and Based on their statements, the SIT will be able to make arrests and conduct raids” said CM.
Speaking about it he said: “So far, the investigation has revealed that cine persons were only using drugs and not selling them. If it is proved that they are selling drugs, we’ll register cases against them. Not only the people from Tollywood but we also consider drug addicts from all sectors as victims”.
Emphasizing on 22 persons arrested in connection with the drugs case by the Special Task force which also included two foreign nationals, CM said: “We are just utilising statements of drug addicts as clues in nabbing the prime accused. We have identified that the drug racketeers are obtaining drugs from Portugal, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Colombia and other countries. We have names of some key persons that are involved in drug trafficking.”
Adding, “We are not targeting the cine industry only. There is no truth of drug culture in the information technology sector.”
He further said the Telangana Government has been focusing on the drug culture which is still in its initial stages and that measurements are being taken to control it in Hyderabad. “The allegations being circulated that drugs are on the rise in Hyderabad are false. Telangana state is in the top position in financial growth, development and law and order and the government is concentrating on eliminating social disorders” he said.
“Our goal is to close all routes for drugs from the entry points into TS. Telangana state is not in the list of the heavy drug usage states in the country. Even in the list of cities, Hyderabad does not figure. Our aim is to close the businesses of drugs, illicit liquor, hookah, gambling, eve-teasing, adulteration, fake products and social disorders” stated CM.