Many City Celebrities ‘Make It’ to Bengaluru Rave Party

Hyderabad: Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) in the wee hours of Sunday raided a farm house in the city’s Electronic City, where a rave party was underway, and seized ecstasy pills, 17 MDMA tablets, cocaine and other drugs, and exposed the involvement of notable individuals, including, allegedly, politicians, businessmen and actors from Tollywood and TV serials.

Based on a tip-off, the raid was carried out at GR Farmhouse at 3 am, intervening the rave party. According to sources, the party was carried out from 5 pm on Saturday and was supposed to go on until 6 am on Sunday.

GR Farmhouse is owned by the Concorde Group’s founder R. Gopal Reddy. The rave party was organised by a Hyderabad-based Vasu.

CCB disclosed before the media there that there were more than 100 attendees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana state and Bengaluru, including DJ’s, models, actors, techies and businessmen.

A video reportedly citing popular Tollywood and Telugu soap opera artists from the city participating in a party went viral in social media on Monday.

Names of Tollywood actor Srikanth and actress Hema surfaced on social media, claiming that they were reportedly present in the rave party.

Hema on Monday released a video in which she claimed that she was at her farmhouse in Hyderabad, and clarified stating. “I am presently in a farmhouse in Hyderabad. All the allegations are baseless. I did not attend any party in Bengaluru and my name is being dragged by media portals. I request fans not to believe in what's going viral on social media.”

Contrary to her statements, Bengaluru police said she was present at the rave party, and released a photograph of her at the venue.

Srikanth said that he was in his house in Hyderabad all along, and said the person in the video looked like him. He said “I am not into rave parties and my culture is not that of going to parties.”

Several businessmen, pub owners, realtors, social media influencers and actors have been said to have attended the rave party. Reports said that the guests were allowed entry upon showing “Happy Birthday Vasu” cards.

Bengaluru police are investigating the case, and have allotted an additional SP to handle the rave party case.

Andhra Pradesh agriculture minister and YSR Congress leader Kakani Govardhan Reddy also denied any role after the Bengaluru police uncovered a vehicle with a pass bearing his name.

He claimed the pass found on the vehicle had expired in 2023 and questioned its authenticity, suggesting it could be a photocopy. He demanded evidence of his presence at the party and alleged a conspiracy by the Telugu Desam (TD) to tarnish his image.

"Fearing defeat in the recently held elections, the TD leaders and their favoured media are making baseless allegations against me", he fumed.

Govardhan Reddy dissociated himself from the car's owner, stating, "The registration is in the name of Tummala Venkateswar Rao from Vijayawada. I don't even know who he is".