Telugu Film Financier Among Trio Held for Organising Drug Parties

Hyderabad: The TS Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TSNAB) and Gudimalkapur police on Wednesday night arrested three persons including film financier K. Venaktratna Reddy from an apartment in Madhapur and recovered drugs, narcotics and cash amounting to '32.89 lakh. Venkatratna Reddy is associated with films like Damarukam, Kick, Businessman, Lovely, Auto Nagar Surya.

The police identified the other two as D. Balaji, a party organiser who allegedly supplied drugs to those involved in the film industry, and D. Murali. The trio was allegedly consuming liquor and drugs at an apartment owned by Balaji.  

Balaji is alleged to have strong ties with Nigerian drug peddlers and is also suspected to be involved in prostitution rackets. Murali works as a stenographer for the RPF IG at Rail Nilayam, said D. Sunitha Reddy, SP (west), TSNAB.

Sources said that the police ascertained from three Bengaluru-based Nigerian drug peddlers that the accused regularly purchased LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana from them.

Police kept a watch on Balaji and Venkatratna Reddy and decided on the raid as top people from the film industry were expected to visit for a rave party. While the trio was held, there was no one else in the apartment; the film industry personalities dropped the plan after getting to know of the raid, sources in the cinema industry said.

The police seized the trio’s mobile phones to gather information about their customers and financial transactions. More arrests are likely to be made, police sources said.

“Balaji, a native of Nellore district, used to work for the Navy but was declared medically unfit due to an eye injury. He used to celebrate and take part in parties in Madhapur,” the police said.

DCP Sunitha Reddy said that Balaji came in contact with drug dealers during these parties and started arranging parties for his friends and famous people.

“Balaji established direct links with Nigerians to procure drugs from Bengaluru and brought them to city. He sold drugs to customers in city, also including important persons in cine field, to make easy money,” Sunitha said.

“Venkatratna Reddy is a regular at such parties. He funded Balaji to procure drugs in bulk to organise parties. He also hired prostitutes,” Sunitha Reddy alleged.