KT Rama Rao on 'farmhouse' raid

Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao said on Monday afternoon that a family Diwali celebration was “maliciously labeled a 'rave party'”, as he hit out at the controversy over the police raid – and questioned claims of drug use. Picked up, while no one was found at brother-in-law's 'farmhouse'.

Cyberabad police said they seized stocks of foreign liquor and one person – Vijay Madduri – was positive for cocaine. Officials said they tested all 21 men detained but 14 women were also missing.

However, KT Rama Rao or KTR, as he is known, criticized the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for “speaking carelessly… when officials said no drugs were found.”

“Then why this malicious campaign?” He asked, “…Pakala tested negative but BJP and Congress are spreading baseless rumors about him. How can they file a case under NDPS (Anti-Narcotics Act)?”

He said angrily, “First they said it was an excise case… of possession of excess liquor… but then they started calling it a 'narcotics case'. They only called it a case of narcotics on orders from above.” Telling about the case of…”

Read | Raid on 'farmhouse' of relative of former Telangana minister KTR

“What a difference there was in what was said in the morning. Panchnama (Police record of the raid) And the police case? They dug up a mountain… claimed there were bombs there but they didn't even find a mouse.”

Pakala has been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Gaming Act, while Mr Rama Rao and BRS leaders have criticized the attempt as “character assassination”.

“Is it wrong to gather on Diwali?”

“In Telangana today, is it wrong for a family to gather at home for Diwali? Should we even seek permission for this? Raj Pakala built a house and held a house warming ceremony for family and friends… but some people Maliciously labeling this family gathering as a 'rave party',” KTR further said.

Attacking the Congress – which defeated BRS in last year's elections – for running a “malicious campaign and political conspiracy”, KTR also said, “We will not stop fighting for the people…”

“Despite there being no illegal activity on our part, a malicious campaign and political conspiracy is being carried out against us by the (state) government… on BRS leaders like civil supplies for exposing the corrupt activities of (Chief Minister Revanth) Reddy False cases are being registered….”

“Unable to face us politically, they (Congress) resort to conspiracies, but we have faced challenges and have been in this struggle. We are not afraid of Revanth Reddy's conspiracies…”

“Since yesterday, absurd attempts are being made to hatch a conspiracy against us.”

BJP, Congress, BRS trade barbs

Meanwhile, in a complex game of political musical chairs, the ruling Congress has also come under attack from the BJP for “pretending” to implement anti-drug laws while protecting BRS leaders.

Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said, “There are information that family members of Twitterati Tillu (his epithet for KTR) and main drug suppliers were present. BJP is demanding a serious investigation.”

The Congress government in Telangana is just pretending to enforce the law but is actually protecting the bigwigs of BRS.

The raid on Janwada Farmhouse is just the tip of the iceberg.

Proper searching will reveal the truth – even a novice knows that drugs don't just disappear.

Congress government… pic.twitter.com/89HsBdpxQi

– Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) 27 October 2024

“There is speculation that family members were allegedly present, but Congress is putting pressure on the police to protect them instead of holding them accountable,” he said in a video statement on Twitter.

“Seize the passports of all high-profile individuals involved… secure their locations, and release every piece of CCTV footage. We demand immediate arrest without any leniency and no escape route.”

Meanwhile, BRS has claimed “match fixing” organized by its two rivals, chief minister and captive Sanjay Kumar, to implicate KTR and the state party, and has vowed to take legal action.

BRS has refuted claims that drugs and foreign liquor were seized in quantities in excess of the permitted quantity.

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