Crime
Tollywood drugs case: Actor Ravi Teja appears before ED
Tollywood actor Ravi Teja and his driver on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the 2017 drug case.
The popular actor reached the ED office here around 10 a.m. in response to the summons issued by the agency.
Ravi Teja’s driver and aide Srinivas also appeared before the ED officials. Both are likely to be questioned about their financial transactions.
Key accused Calvin Mascarenhas is also likely to be called for questioning again. His statement was recorded on Tuesday and the celebrities are being quizzed on the basis of his statement.
Ravi Teja is the sixth Tollywood personality to appear before ED. Director Puri Jagannadh and actors Charmee Kaur, Rakul Preet Singh, Nandu and Daggubati Rana were questioned since August 31.
Rana was questioned for nearly seven hours on Wednesday as part of the probe into suspected links of some celebrities with the accused involved in the case.
The ED had last month issued notices to 10 persons connected to Tollywood and two others including a private club manager as part of a money laundering probe linked to the case related to the smuggling of ‘Class A’ narcotic substances, including LSD and MDMA.
Actors Navdeep, Mumaith Khan and Tanish have also been summoned by the ED in connection the drugs racket which was busted with the arrest of drug peddlers in 2017.
Rana and Rakul Preet did not figure in the list of Tollywood celebrities questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana’s prohibition and excise department in 2017.
However, Rakul Preet was questioned by the Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai, last year in an alleged drugs nexus in Bollywood.
The drugs racket was busted on July 2, 2017 when customs officials arrested Calvin Mascarenhas, a musician, and two others and seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh from their possession.
They had reportedly told the investigators that they are supplying drugs to film celebrities, software engineers, and even students of some corporate schools. Mobile numbers of some Tollywood celebrities were allegedly found in their contact lists.
The excise department had constituted SIT for a comprehensive probe. A total of 12 cases were registered, 30 people were arrested while 62 individuals including 11 people connected with Tollywood were examined by the SIT under section 67 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and section 161 of Criminal Procedure Code.
An American, a South African and a Netherlands national were among those arrested.
The SIT had collected blood, hair, nail and other samples from some of those who appeared before it for question and sent them for analysis.
The SIT filed charge sheet in eight out of 12 cases. It, however, gave clean chit to the film personalities who were questioned as part of the investigation.
Crime
Speeding Ferrari crashes into apartment building in Hyderabad Jubilee Hills

Hyderabad, July 12: A speeding Ferrari car crashed into the gate of an apartment building in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills area in the early hours of Sunday. There were no casualties, said officials.
The incident occurred on Road Number 5 in the upscale Jubilee Hills under the Film Nagar Police Station limits.
The occupants abandoned the heavily damaged Ferrari Roma, said to be worth more than Rs 3.50 crore, and fled before police arrived at the scene.
The gate of Fort View Apartments was completely damaged in the collision. The front portion of the luxury car was badly mangled.
The man driving the vehicle escaped after the accident. Police suspect that the person at the wheel was under the influence of alcohol and driving the vehicle at a high speed and in a rash manner.
Police registered a case and launched an investigation into the person who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. Police were examining the CCTV footage to ascertain if there were other persons in the vehicle.
Police shifted the damaged Ferrari to the police station with the help of a towing vehicle.
This is the second such incident in Jubilee Hills in less than a week. An SUV had crashed into Tollywood actor Dharma’s residence on the night of July 9.
A man who was under the influence of alcohol had rammed the SUV into the residence of Dharma on Road Number 10. The compound wall of the actor’s house was damaged in the incident.
The accused was identified as Karthik Kumar, who drove the SUV in a rash and negligent manner before losing control and ramming into Dharma’s house. Luckily, there were no casualties.
The actor alerted the police, who rushed to the spot and arrested the accused. A breathalyser test confirmed that the accused was drunk while driving the SUV.
Police registered a criminal case against Kartik Kumar and launched further investigation.
Crime
Tamil Nadu: Beedi leaves worth Rs 17 lakh meant for Lanka seized near Thoothukudi coast

Thoothukudi, July 11: In a major anti-smuggling operation, the Tamil Nadu Q Branch police seized beedi leaves worth an estimated Rs 17 lakh that were allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka from the Thoothukudi coast in the early hours on Saturday.
The consignment was recovered from a forested stretch near Inigo Nagar Beach, while the suspected smugglers managed to flee after spotting the police.
The operation was launched following a specific intelligence input received by Q Branch Inspector Vijaya Anitha, who was informed that a large quantity of beedi leaves was being stockpiled in the Inigo Nagar coastal area for clandestine transportation to Sri Lanka by boat.
Acting on the tip-off, a special police team led by Sub-Inspector Ramachandran, along with Special Sub-Inspector Ramar, Inspectors Irudayaraj Kumar and Isakkimuthu, and First Grade Constables Palani, Balamurugan and Pechiraj, conducted a late-night patrol in the South Police Station limits of Thoothukudi City Sub-Division.
During the search operation, the team reached a forested area south of Inigo Nagar Beach, where they discovered a cache of beedi leaves concealed and kept ready for loading onto a boat bound for Sri Lanka. Police recovered 18 bundles of beedi leaves, each weighing approximately 30 kg, indicating that the consignment had been carefully packed for sea transport.
However, the suspected smugglers, who were reportedly present in the vicinity, escaped into the darkness after noticing the approaching police personnel. In addition to the contraband, the police also seized a cargo vehicle believed to have been used for transporting the beedi leaves to the coastal loading point.
Officials said the seized consignment has an estimated international market value of around Rs 17 lakh. The recovered beedi leaves and the cargo vehicle are being handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling network.
Investigators are examining the ownership of the seized vehicle and gathering intelligence to trace the larger syndicate suspected of operating along the Thoothukudi coast.
The seizure is part of the intensified surveillance being carried out by the Q Branch and other enforcement agencies to curb cross-border smuggling activities between the Tamil Nadu coast and Sri Lanka.
Authorities said further investigations are under way to determine the intended recipients of the consignment and whether the operation is linked to an organised smuggling network operating in the region.
Crime
NESCO drug overdose case: Vanrai Police arrest 14th accused, twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh Khemlani

Mumbai, July 11: The Vanrai Police have arrested the 14th accused in the high-profile NESCO drug overdose case, taking into custody Nitesh alias ‘Nick’ Khemlani, the twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh alias ‘Mark’ Khemlani.
According to police, Nitesh Khemlani was arrested following an investigation into the suspected financial network linked to the drug case. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody until July 13 for further questioning and investigation.
The arrest comes as part of the ongoing probe into the drug-related incident reported at the NESCO area in Goregaon, Mumbai. Police are examining the alleged drug syndicate’s operations, including its financial transactions and links among the accused persons.
The Vanrai Police said that during the investigation, suspicious financial transactions between Nitesh Khemlani and some of the accused already arrested in the case came to light. Based on these findings, police took him into custody for further investigation.
Investigators are now questioning Nitesh Khemlani to trace the alleged financial network behind the drug operation, identify possible sources of funding and uncover further links connected to the case.
The arrest marks the 14th in the case, with police continuing their probe into the wider network involved in the alleged drug supply and distribution chain.
The NESCO drug overdose case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of multiple accused and the alleged links to a wider drug network. Police officials have said that further arrests and revelations may emerge as the investigation progresses.
The Vanrai Police are focusing on establishing the complete chain of events, including the movement of funds, connections between accused persons and the possible role of other individuals associated with the case.
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