Key officer postpones leave to complete drug racket case probe

Hyderabad: Telangana Excise Enforcement Director Akun Sabharwal today postponed his leave till completion of the enquiry into the drug racket that has created quite a sensation with investigators summoning some Tollywood personalities in connection with the case. "In view of the importance of the drugs case, I'm postponing my leave till completion of the enquiry," he said. Earlier, Sabharwal proceeding on leave in the midst of the investigation process into the racket of selling high-end drugs such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), had raised some eyebrows.

He said yesterday he was availing the leave for personal reasons and it had nothing to do with the case. "My mother passed away two months ago. I am going on leave to my native place. The leave was sanctioned two months ago, before this case surfaced. There is no link between my leave and the case," he had added. The Telangana Prohibition and Excise department yesterday picked up an engineering graduate, Piyush A, for allegedly peddling LSD, taking the number of those arrested in connection with the case to 13.

Among those arrested since the racket was busted on July 2, were a US citizen, Dundu Anish, an aerospace engineer who had earlier worked with the NASA, and seven B Tech graduates, most of whom were working for multi-national companies. LSD, sold as tablets or in liquid form, is known to be one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals, while MDMA, commonly referred to as 'molly' or 'ecstasy', is a popular recreational or party drug.

The gang catered to about 1,000 customers, including students of city-based schools and colleges, a film producer and some senior officials of multi-national companies and employees of the IT firms in Cyberabad. Based on the information provided by those arrested, the department has summoned 12 persons, including some Tollywood personalities, seeking explanations on their alleged links with the drug-peddlers. "We have to ascertain their (to whom the notices were issued) role (whether they were drug users or peddlers)...Some of the names came out during the interrogation of the accused," Excise Department officials had said earlier.

Sabharwal yesterday also ruled out any pressure on him from any quarter as regards the investigation and asserted that he had the full support of the Telangana government in the probe. "I have the full support of the government. Other law enforcement agencies are also extending support. I have no pressure as such...no one is targeting me or creating any problem," he had said.