SIT awaits custody of accused in Moinabad drugs case, phone data analysis to begin

Investigators in the Moinabad farmhouse drugs case are set to analyse extracted mobile phone data and call detail records, with electronic intelligence collection to identify linked consumers, peddlers and suppliers. Officials close to the probe said that the findings in the coming days are expected to help establish the origin and wider network behind the drugs.

Three accused, including former MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, were produced before the court, where police sought custody for further investigation. The matter will be heard on Friday, March 20. The other accused include Rohith Reddy’s brother Rakesh Reddy and Namith Sharma. Police have sought their custody for 10 days, stating that further interrogation was required to gather evidence and examine possible links, while the defence opposed the request.

The officer said that further interrogation of the accused will depend on custody orders, with questioning likely to be conducted either at the Shamshabad office or another location to avoid public attention. The accused will be questioned on the event at the resort, procurement of drugs, and the circumstances under which a firearm was discharged. Officials said the investigation is being carried out within a three-month timeframe.

On March 17, the SIT questioned seven accused for nearly eight hours at the Shamshabad police station. Those examined included Tiruveedhula Arjun Reddy, Kaushik Ravi, Siliveru Sharath Kumar, Moravineni Ramesh, Varamachineni Shravan Kumar, Nallapaneni Vijay Krishna and R. Priyanka Reddy. Each of them were questioned separately.

The case pertains to a raid conducted on March 14 at a farmhouse in Moinabad belonging to Pilot Rohith Reddy, where two grams of cocaine was reportedly seized. Ten persons present at the premises were detained, including Putta Mahesh Kumar, MP from Eluru, and Moraganeni Ramesh, 49.

Preliminary screening indicated that at least six persons had consumed narcotic substances. During the raid, Namith Sharma allegedly fired multiple rounds into the air in an attempt to disrupt the operation. Investigators collected gunshot residue samples as part of the evidence. Cases have been booked under the NDPS Act and on charges of attempt to murder.