Bengaluru rave party drug bust: Telugu actress, 85 others test positive for narcotics use

Bengaluru: Eighty-six individuals who attended a rave party in southern Bengaluru last weekend have tested positive for illicit drugs, according to police. Among them is a 57-year-old Telugu actress who had earlier claimed she was not present at the controversial event.

Bengaluru police's Central Crime Branch (CCB) raided GR Farmhouse in Hebbagodi on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, and arrested five people.

On Tuesday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said 101 people had attended the party.

During the raid, the CCB recovered 15.56 grams of MDMA, 6.2 grams of cocaine, six grams of hydroganja and five mobile phones, besides impounding two cars.

CCB officers close to the investigation say some of the drugs were dumped into the swimming poll and outside the compound of the farmhouse. Some participants even tried to flush the narcotics down the toilet, according to the CCB officers.

The five arrested include L Vasu, 35, V Ranadheer, 43, Mohammad Abubaker Siddiq, 29, YM Arunkumar, 35, and D Nagababu, 32.

L Vasu, 35, who owns an event management firm, organised the rave party near Electronics City in Bengaluru, according to police.

The FIR filed by Electronics City police notes that the party was named 'VASU'S BIRTHDAY: SUNSET TO SUNRISE' and was organised by Vasu, a Hyderabad native settled in Bengaluru.

Actress' video claim

Soon after media reported the CCB raid on Monday, Telugu actress Hema posted a video on social media, claiming she did not attend the rave party in Bengaluru but was rather "chilling" at a farmhouse in Hyderabad.

A well-placed source in the CCB refuted her claims and told DH that the actress was indeed present at the rave party. What's more, she made the video while being detained at the farmhouse near Electronics City, the source added.

The CCB is now investigating how she got the phone during her detention and when she made the video. Hema was among those who tested positive for drugs, the source confirmed.

In another video posted on Wednesday, another Telugu actress confessed she was part of 'Vasu's birthday party' but claimed she was unaware it was a rave party and that drugs were consumed there.

The CCB source declined to confirm whether she tested positive for drugs.

In another video posted on Wednesday, Telugu actress Aashi Roy confessed she was part of 'Vasu's birthday party' but claimed she was unaware it was a rave party and that drugs were consumed there.

The CCB source declined to confirm whether she tested positive for drugs.

While Bengaluru police have made a policy decision to treat drug consumers as victims of drug abuse, the grave nature of the allegations pertaining to the rave party means the participants will face strict action, another well-placed police source said.