Drug racket: Ravi Teja's driver appears before SIT

A driver working with popular Telugu film star Ravi Teja, Srinivas Rao today appeared before the SIT of Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department in connection with a high-end online drug racket busted by it.

He (Rao) was among the 12 personalities, including directors and actors from the Telugu film industry, summoned by the special investigation team (SIT) which is questioning several people as part of cases registered in connection with the racket.The SIT had yesterday grilled Teja for about ten hours in connection with the case.

Teja has acted in several movies directed by Puri Jagannadh, who was the first person from the Telgu film industry to be recently questioned.Since July 19, the



SIT has questioned cinematographer Shyam K Naidu, actors P Subba Raju, Tarun Kumar and P Navdeep, actresses Charmi Kaur and Mumaith Khan, and art director Dharma Rao alias Chinna.

As a part of the racket, high-end drugs like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) were being supplied.

The investigators suspect that film personalities, employees of MNCs, school and college students were among the clients.

The racketeers placed orders through 'Darknet' (a restricted online network frequently used in illegal activities) and the drugs were delivered by couriers, including from overseas, the officials had said.