In a major development in the Hyderabad drug racket that was uncovered earlier this year, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in the city, has sent the report of five samples for examination by a court.
The five samples are a part of the total 11 samples that were sent for examination by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana's Prohibition and Excise Department, which was probing the case.
“The forensic science laboratory has sent the report to the court. We will be getting it in a day or two and only then can we say who all have tested positive,” a senior official from the P&E department told DC.
"We need to access the reports and then ascertain whose samples were positive," a source told ToI.
Top officials of the SIT had earlier said that they were awaiting the forensic reports, to file the chargesheet.
In June, a sensational racket busted by authorities found that about 1,000 students of leading private schools and colleges in the city were using high-end drugs such as LSD and MDMA. Some of them were as young as 13.
The racket also exposed the dark underbelly of Tollywood, as the dealers were also supplying drugs to several personalities from the Telugu industry.
Director Puri Jagannadh and actor Ravi Teja were among those who received notices from the Excise department, and questioned by the SIT.
Others including actor P Navdeep, cinematographer Shyam K Naidu, character artist Subbaraju, and singer Ananda Krishna Nandu were also summoned, besides female actors like Charmee Kaur and Mumaith Khan.
Their names cropped up when the SIT found a trail in the call data of Calvin Mascrenhas, the kingpin of the busted drug racket.
The Movie Artists' Association (MAA) had earlier warned the artists against drug abuse and asked them to mend their ways.
Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce President D. Suresh Babu said the film industry could not afford to have its image tarnished because of a few individuals getting into drugs.
Following allegations from some sections of Tollywood that the industry was being unfairly targeted, the Telangana government denied it, with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao stating that those using drugs would be treated as victims and not as criminals. The state government said that it was focused on nabbing the peddlers and those who supplied the drugs only.
IANS inputs