Hyderabad: A day after BRS leader and former Tandur MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, along with four others, tested positive for cocaine during a drug bust at his farmhouse in Moinabad, Andhra MP Putta Mahesh Kumar (TDP) has also tested positive for drug methamphetamine. EAGLE SP R Girdhar said that a blood test conducted on the TDP’s Eluru MP on Sunday confirmed presence of methamphetamine.The MP has denied the allegations and said he will come out clean.Among the 11 high-profile politicians/businessmen who had gathered at the farmhouse on Saturday, police said six have tested positive for drugs so far.Apart from BRS’ ex-MLA and the TDP MP, others who tested positive for drugs are Rithesh Reddy Pajugula (businessman and brother of Rohith), Tiruveedula Arjun Reddy (businessman), Kaushik Ravi (advocate) and Namith Sharma (businessman from Delhi).“All the 11 at the party have been booked for violation of the Prohibition and Excise Act. Of the six who tested positive, Namith Sharma, Rohith Reddy and Rithesh Reddy have been charged with violations of the Arms Act and the NDPS Act. The other three drug abusers, including the TDP MP, have been booked only under the NDPS Act,” said DCP (Moinabad) Yogesh Gautham.Namith Sharma has also been booked under Sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 131 (punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) of the BNS for opening fire on seeing the police at the premises.“He took the .32 revolver belonging to Rohith Reddy’s brother Rithesh Reddy and opened fire. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. Many among the 11 people present also behaved rudely with the policemen who were just doing their duty,” a senior police officer said.Incidentally, the AP legislator had tested negative for drugs on Saturday night when EAGLE sleuths, along with Future City police, made all 11 individuals undergo a urine test following the crackdown at the farmhouse.Investigators told TOI that they suspect this was because the MP filled the sample cup with water from the washroom instead of urine for the drug test.“However, when all the people at the party were made to undergo a blood test on Sunday, he tested positive for meth. The five others who had tested positive for cocaine on Saturday tested positive for the drug again on Sunday,” an official reiterated.Cops said a packet of white substance recovered from Sharath Kumar, Rohith Reddy’s driver, has been sent for forensic examination after initial suspicion that it was cocaine. Investigators suspect that both cocaine and methamphetamine were used by the individuals. The seized drug was allegedly brought by Rohith Reddy’s friend Kaushik Ravi from Shimla.“Sharath said that some of the drug was given to a few people at the party, while the remaining amount was handed over to him for subsequent use,” the suo motu complaint filed by police stated.Police also suspect that a portion of the drugs was flushed down by someone when cops barged into the premises for a surprise check. They seized about two grams of the substance from the property.Saturday night’s operation was carried out by EAGLE sleuths following a tip-off about the presence of drugs at the Moinabad farmhouse. When cops scaled the wall of the property and entered the premises, they found the 11 individuals sitting on couches around the swimming pool, with hookah pots, liquor and other items around them.While Rohith Reddy, Sharma and Rithesh were arrested, the three other alleged drug abusers, including the MP, were released on station bail after being served a notice.Reacting to the crackdown, TDP chief and AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the state party leadership to submit a detailed report on the incident. The party high command also reportedly asked Mahesh Kumar to stay away from party programmes until the matter is clarified.BRS working president KT Rama Rao said he is willing to undergo a drug test at any time in response to Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Mahesh Kumar Goud’s demand that KTR agree to a drug test and, if needed, all public representatives be subjected to similar tests. KTR said the BRS has always condemned drug use and supports strict punishment for anyone found involved, irrespective of political affiliation.
