Cocaine, politicians and businessmen: What we know about Hyderabad farmhouse raid

A late-night raid by the Telangana police’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) uncovered an alleged drug party at a farmhouse in Moinabad, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The gathering reportedly included politicians, businessmen and associates.

The property where the raid took place is linked to former Pilot Rohit Reddy of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Investigators said around 10 people were present at the farmhouse when the enforcement team arrived following a tip-off.

Officials from the anti-drug unit carried out the raid at around 9.30 pm after receiving intelligence inputs about narcotics being consumed at the gathering in the Moinabad farmhouse in Rangareddy district.

During the search operation inside the premises, police recovered approximately two grams of cocaine. Authorities said the quantity falls under the “small quantity” category under narcotics laws.

Preliminary drug screening conducted on those present revealed that five of the 10 attendees tested positive. Among them were Rohit Reddy, Namit Mishra, Ritesh Reddy, Kaushik Ravi, and Arjun Reddy.

The raid witnessed a dramatic moment when a Delhi-based businessman Namit Sharma, allegedly fired a shot from a pistol after the police entered the property. The firearm reportedly belonged to another attendee and had a valid licence.

According to sources, the enforcement team initially faced resistance from security personnel at the entrance. Officers had to call in additional support from a Special Operations Team before gaining access to the property.

Officials said the group at the party included politicians, real estate businessmen and other associates. Among the 10 attendees detained were nine men and one woman. The same farmhouse had earlier come under the spotlight in 2022 during a controversial police raid related to an alleged cash-for-defection plot involving BRS legislators.