Drug notices leave T town shell-shocked

There are wheels within wheel in the sleaze business, in view of a string of Tollywood big names getting notices for their nexus with the drug mafia Hyderabad: A day after the Prohibition and Excise officials sent notices to some people from the Telugu film industry in connection with the drug racket, a list of names began doing rounds in the media since Friday morning.

The list includes popular director Puri Jagannadh, actors Ravi Teja, Tarun, Navdeep, Taneesh, Subbaraju, Nandu, actresses Charmee Kaur, Mumaith Khan, cinematographer Shyam K Naidu, art directors Chinna Dharma Rao and Srinivasa Rao.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Prohibition and Excise Enforcement Wing sent notices to the film personalities asking them to personally appear before it for enquiry between July 19 and 27.

However, Puri Jagannadh, Ravi Teja, Navdeep, Subbaraju, Taneesh, Nandu, Charmee and Chinna denied they had anything to do with the racket. Admitting that he did receive notice asking him to appear before the SIT on July 21, actor Subbaraju said he did not know why the notice was given to him and how his name or number was found on the contact list of the drug peddler Calvin.

“Everyone in the industry knows I am very health conscious and the kind of family background I come from did not teach me to do such things. Leave alone narcotic drugs, I don’t even take antibiotics,” he said. However, Subbaraju said he respected the system and would appear before the SIT. “I will cooperate with the probe more so because I need to know why my name has cropped up in this case.”

On the other hand, actor Navdeep took to Twitter saying, “It is usual to sensationalise news as soon as there are film people involved, me being involved in events and working with some wrong event managers i can understand why this happened! It's a matter of time before this is sorted .. requesting media and people to have patience" (sic).

Reacting through Facebook on the reports about her connections to the drug racket, actress Mumaith Khan said she had nothing to do with the drugs case. She also said she was shocked to find her name and pictures on the media linking her to the case.

She urged the media not to blame her without any evidence. The actress also said she did not receive any notice in connection with the case.

On the other hand, actor Tarun sent out a release saying he was shocked and surprised to notice that his name had appeared in the media involving him in the drugs case. He said he was no way connected with the drugs issue.

Tarun, however, said, “I shall fully cooperate with the authorities in their investigation. Myself and my family members are totally shaken and disturbed with this news.” Meanwhile, Taneesh, Nandu and Chinna spoke to media separately and expressed shock over finding their names on television screens when they did not even receive notices. “Please do not link us to drugs. It is hurting not only us but also our families and friends,” they said.

Nandu said he was ready to undergo any test. “I have come from a respectable middleclass family and cannot even imagine of taking drugs. Sincerely, I do not know how and why all this is happening,” he said.

Actor Taneesh said, “It causes serious damage for me and my family. Please don’t drag me into this and let me live my life in peace.” Chinna said he and his family were deeply pained at the development. “Work and only work is everything for me and Shyam. I don’t know why our names cropped up in the case,” he said. Some others, whose names have been doing rounds in connection with the drug racket, chose to remain silent.

Meanwhile, Excise Enforcement Director, Akun Sabharwal held a review meeting with the SIT officials and discussed the strategy on how to go about with the film personalities when they appear for enquiry from July 19.