IAS officer’s son among 7 test positive in Kondapur pub drug raid

Hyderabad: Seven persons, including the son of an IAS officer, tested positive for drug consumption during a raid at a popular pub in Kondapur on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. The group included software professionals, a student, and a businessman.According to officials from the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), all seven individuals admitted to drug consumption during questioning. Some claimed they had consumed drugs outside the state and even abroad, citing locations such as Thailand, the UK, and Himachal Pradesh.Police clarified that several others present at the pub, including a foreign DJ and a local DJ, tested negative for drug consumption. Around 1,400 people had attended the high-profile event, that featured international DJ Black Coffee, police said.Acting on specific intelligence inputs, EAGLE teams, along with personnel from the Cyberabad narcotics police station and Gachibowli police, conducted a coordinated search operation at the Quake Arena pub.Police said they had prior information about possible drug abuse at the venue and identified 64 attendees as potential suspects. To maintain discretion and avoid disrupting the event, six teams were deployed to carry out checks.During the raid, selected individuals were subjected to on-the-spot urine tests. Initial screening revealed four persons tested positive for ganja (tetrahydrocannabinol) and benzodiazepines. Subsequent tests identified three more individuals who tested positive for ganja and methamphetamine, police said.Investigators have begun probing the supply network and are gathering details on how the substances were sourced. Officials said the families or guardians of those involved would be informed, and steps would be taken to guide the individuals towards de-addiction programmes.The seven individuals were later handed over to Gachibowli police for further action. A case has been registered under Sections 8(c) read with 27(a) and 27(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, which pertain to the consumption of narcotic substances.Meanwhile, Telugu actress K. Hema, who was present at the event, released a video on social media denying any involvement. She stated that her drug test result was negative and dismissed speculation linking her to substance use. Hema had previously faced allegations in connection with a separate case of alleged drug abuse in Bengaluru last year.