Actor Naga Babu’s daughter Niharika Konidela, Telugu singer Rahul Sipliguni, son of a businessman-turned-politician from Andhra Pradesh, daughter of a senior IPS officer from the same State and a couple of foreign nationals, were among 148 persons whisked away by a strong contingent of police from a pub, in the posh Radisson Blu Plaza at Banjara Hills here, for partying well past midnight in violation of rules. The officials found and seized cocaine and a huge quantity of liquor from the premises.
The raid on ‘Pudding & Mink’ was conducted by the Task Force sleuths led by Officer on Special Duty P. Radha Kishan Rao and Inspector (north zone) K Nageswar Rao at around 2 a.m. on April 3 and they found that the management allowed nearly 150 to party. “Soon after seeing our personnel, the youngsters threw away the packets, while some flushed them in the toilet. But, five packets containing cocaine (one gram per packet)and several empty packets were recovered from the pub, which is reportedly owned by the daughter of a former MP from erstwhile Khammam district,” a senior official told The Hindu.
He said that all of them, and two managers of the hotel, were shifted to Banjara Hills police station, which is at a stone’s throw, for questioning.
The officer confirmed the presence and detention of Ms. Konidela, Mr. Sipligunj, son of former Congress MP of Secunderabad Anjan Kumar Yadav and kin of several prominent personalities.
“Despite their elitist ‘background’, no one will be let off without being questioned. They were part of a party or present in the pub, where drugs were being abused,” the officer said.
He said that the pub had become notorious for late night party-goers in the city, as they knew liquor and drugs would be readily made available to them.
“The hotel is misusing the 2B bar license issued (only issued to star hotels) to them for supplying food and liquor to outsiders, whereas the license permits them to supply only to their hotel guests,” the officer said.
The officer said that for the past one month, he had been receiving information about a large number of vehicles going into the star hotel past midnight. During the month-long recce, they found that the kin of elite people from Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh were visiting the place to party post midnight.
“After every other liquor and food outlet in the city shuts down, the people go to Radisson Blu to continue their party till wee hours. A team was already deployed in mufti and was mingling in the crowd, before the additional force came to start the raid,” an officer added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) D. Joel Davis said that a case under 8 (c), 22(b), 29(1) of NDPS Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered against 35-year-old general manager of Pudding & Mink Pub Mahadaram Anil Kumar, 39-year-old owner of the pub Abhishek Vuppala and his partner Arjun Veeramachineni. Mr. Arjun is still at large, the DCP said.
