Drug bust at IT hub pub second in two weeks; techies, DJs arrested

HYDERABAD: In a late-night check at a pub in the city’s IT corridor, the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) arrested 24 people – many of them employees of multinational companies and DJs – for consuming cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine and ganja. About two weeks ago, the Cyberabad police had also arrested two DJs from a pub in Madhapur who had tested positive for cocaine.

Acting on a tip-off, TGANB team and Cyberabad police raided the ‘Forest Alchemy 3.0’ party at The Cave pub in Raidurgam around 10 pm on Saturday.

Of the 55 people tested for drugs on handheld devices, 24 tested positive for different drugs: 17 for cannabis, two, including a DJ, for cocaine and cannabis, two for cannabis and MDMA, and one for MDMA. Another DJ tested positive for cannabis and methamphetamine.

The 24 people who tested positive were arrested for violating the NDPS Act and taken to Raidurgam police station. They were later released on bail.

“Our investigation revealed that pub managers Abdullah Ayub and R Shekar Kumar, pub owners Rajesh, Abhinav, Sai Krishna and Sunny and the two DJs – Sandeep Sharma and Sai Gaurang – encouraged and allowed them to consume these psychedelic drugs. Many of their customers are employees of reputed multinationals,” said a Cyberabad police officer.

While managers and DJs are among those arrested, pub owners remain at large.

Investigation is underway to ascertain where these people purchased the drugs. “As of now, we also do not know whether they consumed the drugs at the pub or came there after consuming them elsewhere. All these aspects are being probed,” TG-ANB director Sandeep Shandilya told TOI. “The accused will be sent to a de-addiction centre in consultation with their parents,” he added.