The Hyderabad police early on Sunday, 3 April, raided a pub in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills for operating beyond its permitted hours and detained around 150 people, including actor Niharika Konidela, and Bigg Boss Season 3 winner and Tollywood singer Rahul Sipligunj.
The Hyderabad police raided the pub at Radisson Blu hotel in the upscale Banjara Hills area in the wee hours of Sunday. The pub, Pudding and Mink, was raided by Task Force personnel of Hyderabad City Police as it was open beyond the permitted hours.
While reports say police also found banned substances on the pub’s premises, there has been no official confirmation from the police about the same. Those detained from the pub include 33 women and the owner and staff of the pub.
Some individuals from the film and entertainment industry, and children of some prominent personalities are said to be among those detained and were later let off.
Police registered a case against the pub for remaining open after the stipulated time. Further details were awaited.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad Commissioner of Police CV Anand issued orders on 3 April placing the SHO of Banjara Hills police station Inspector P Shiva Chandra under suspension, and issued a Charge Memo to the Banjara Hills ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) M Sudarshan. According to an official release, the action was taken due to “their negligence towards their legitimate duties in the control of narcotics in pubs and bars”.
While visuals show Niharika being detained, the police have not named her in a list of “respondent persons” in connection with the incident. Niharika’s father Naga Babu Konidela, who is the brother of actor Chiranjeevi, issued a media statement stating that Niharika was cleared by the police.
“I am responding to last night’s incident at the pub in Radisson Blu as my daughter Niharika was present there at the time. As the pub was being operated beyond permitted hours, police took action on the pub. As far as Niharika is concerned, she is clear. As per the information shared by the police, they said Niharika has done nothing wrong. To avoid unwanted speculations on social and mainstream media, I am releasing this video. Our conscience is very clear, I request you not to spread unwanted speculations,” Naga Babu said in a video.
The raid comes amid an intensified drive by the police against the drug menace. The recent death of an engineering graduate due to a drug overdose, and the involvement of some educated youth and techies in drug peddling and consumption has alarmed the authorities.
The police and newly formed Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) is not only acting tough against peddlers but also booking cases against those found to be consuming the drugs.
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