Intelligence officer’s son under scanner of Telangana police in inter-state drug racket probe

Hyderabad: The son of a senior Telangana intelligence wing officer has landed in the crosshairs of EAGLE, the state’s anti-narcotics task force, for his suspected role in a sprawling inter-state drug racket that was recently busted in Kompally. The name of Rahul Teja surfaced during the investigation after sleuths analysed call records and other technical evidence linked to the accused.Interestingly, Teja had earlier managed to stay off the radar despite being named as a key accused in a Jan 2024 narcotics case investigated by Nizamabad police—raising eyebrows within enforcement circles.EAGLE officials began tracking Teja following the arrest of six people last week, including restaurant owner Surya Annamaneni. During questioning and technical analysis, investigators discovered Surya’s alleged link with Teja, who is also from Kompally.“At first, we didn’t know the suspect was the son of a senior police officer,” an EAGLE source told TOI. “But during verification, it emerged that his name had appeared in an earlier drugs case, where he was declared absconding,” he said.That case pertains to early 2024 when Nizamabad police apprehended two men, D Vikram and Khaja Mohiddin Chisty, who were transporting cocaine and MDMA along the Nagpur-Hyderabad route. During interrogation, the duo confessed that Teja allegedly introduced them to major drug suppliers from Delhi, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh. Though he was named in the FIR and chargesheet, Teja was never arrested, nor did he obtain anticipatory bail.“Mysteriously, he remained untouched,” the EAGLE source added.In the latest Kompally case, drugs were reportedly couriered from Delhi—concealed in a pair of shoes by a foreign national—and delivered to Surya. The footwear and drugs were later seized by police. According to the Nizamabad police chargesheet: “The accused confessed that under Teja’s instructions, they toured Delhi, Ludhiana, and Himachal Paradesh over the last week. They sourced cocaine, MDMA, and ganja powder from one Mike and his associates. The consignment was intended for Teja, his associates, and their social circle.”Apart from his alleged involvement in drug peddling, Teja also runs a restaurant in Hyderabad.