‘Malicious campaign’: KTR slams ‘rave party’ charges after raid at relative's house
BRS leader asks why his brother-in-law was booked under anti-narcotics Act even though he tested negative for drugs and no substances were found at his house
A day after police raided the farmhouse of KT Rama Rao’s brother-in-law on the outskirts of Hyderabad, the BRS leader has questioned the labelling of the Diwali gathering as a “rave party” even though no drugs were found during searches.
Two booked after raids
Cyberabad Police on Sunday (October 27) night conducted raids on the property of Raj Pakala, KTR’s brother-in-law at Janwada following complaints by locals.
All of the 30 participants at the party were tested for drugs and according to police one of them identified as Vijay Madduri tested positive for cocaine.
Madurri has been booked for using a banned substance and Pakala for allowing drugs on his property under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Also read: Police raid KTR kin’s farmhouse
Why this malicious campaign? asks KTR
KTR, however, has slammed the ruling Congress and the BJP for allegedly speaking ill against Pakala who tested negative for drugs and after officials confirmed that no drugs were found from the premises.
“So why this malicious campaign?” he asked on Monday (October 28) while speaking to the media.
“Pakala’s test was negative but BJP and Congress are spreading baseless rumours about him. How can they file a case under NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act)?” he said.
KTR alleged that the case, which police earlier called an excise matter (for the possession of large quantities of alcohol) began being referred to as a ‘narcotics case’ only after orders from above.
"How was there a difference between the morning's panchanama (cops' record of the raid) and the police case? They dug a mountain... claiming there were bombs but didn't even find a mouse," he said.
‘BRS not afraid of Revanth Reddy’s plots’
Alleging that a Diwali party was being “maliciously” labelled as a “rave party”, KTR lashed out at the ruling Congress government for allegedly running a political conspiracy against BRS leaders and their families.
"Despite no illegal activities on our part there is a malicious campaign and political conspiracy against us by the (state) government... BRS leaders are being slapped with false cases for exposing (Chief Minister Revanth) Reddy's corrupt activities, like the civil supplies scam...," he was quoted as saying.
He said the Congress is relying on conspiracies to get back at BRS after failing to confront the party politically and asserted that the BRS is not
“afraid of Revanth Reddy's plots.”
BJP alleges Congress-BRS pact
The BJP on the other hand has alleged that the Congress government is shielding BRS leaders while pretending to book them under anti-narcotics laws and has demanded a probe into the issue.
“Congress govt in Telangana is just pretending to enforce the law but is actually protecting the BRS bigwigs. The raid at Janwada farmhouse is merely tip of the iceberg. A proper search would reveal the truth - even a novice knows drugs don’t simply vanish. Congress govt should not dilute the case - by giving a predictable statements. It’s like saying ‘operation success but patient died’,” BJP leader and Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said in a post on X.
Also read: Telangana | KTR accuses Revanth of tapping phones of own ministers, Opposition leaders
Accusing Congress and BRS of “playing give and take game,” Kumar said there are speculations that the members of KTR’s family were present at the Janwada farmhouse during the party and were being protected by the government.
The BJP leader has demanded the Congress for the immediate arrest of accused persons to ensure “real action against substance abuse”.