Hyderabad: Prominent personalities including Niharika, niece of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, and Big Boss winner Rahul Sipligunj were among those taken into custody after a raid by the Hyderabad Police in Pudding and Mink - a club located in Hyderabad's Banjara Hills area - in the wee hours of Sunday. A total of 144 people were detained after the raid, but eventually allowed to leave. The establishment was open beyond permitted hours.
A case has been registered against the pub. According to information, the pub owner, staff as well as the 144 detained members were originally taken to the police station. At present, however, only the pub manager remains detained by the police. According to sources, the pub belongs to the daughter of an ex-MP.
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During the raid, the police identified narcotic substances such as cocaine, cannabis, and LSD. Someone present at the pub unsuccessfully tried throwing away the items at the time of the raid. In subsequent action taken in the case, Banjara Hills Circle Inspector Shiva Chandran has been suspended from duty. All those detained initially were let go after registering their names and addresses.
The raid comes as part of a drive by the police to eradicate drug menace in the city. The Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) is conducting the drives after the recent case of an engineering student's death due to overdosing came to the fore. As per information, both narcotic peddlers and drug consumers are being booked during the raids.
