Will expose drug links, says Basavaraj Bommai

Bengaluru: Filmmaker and journalist Indrajit Lankesh has been summoned by the Bengaluru police and asked to share information on his charge that some of the Kannada film actors were doing drugs, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Referring to Indrajit Lankesh's statement that Sandalwood is in the grip of the drug menace, Bommai said the police have served him a notice and he has been asked to appear for interrogation.

At a meeting with city Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil and other officials on the drug menace on Monday, Bommai said, "As Lankesh claimed in a statement to local news channels that a few film actors whom he knows were into drugs, we have asked him to give us details for investigating his allegations," Bommai stated while asserting that the Karnataka government had ordered the police to probe into the alleged links between drug suppliers and the Kannada film industry.

Stating that the drug menace is not new, it has been on for many years and mostly the rich fall into its trap, Bommai said, "We ordered the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police to probe the Kannada film industry's links to drugs in the aftermath of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busting a trafficking racket in the state recently."

The Home Minister also admitted that several postal officials were hand-in- glove with the drug mafia. Four postal officials have been accused of involvement in a drug racket and a few foreign nationals arrested in this connection, Bommai stated. The minister pointed out that as the darknet was being used by drug suppliers and consumers, it was difficult to get information on where and in what quantity supply takes place. "Darknet also has other illegal activities like child pornography, prostitution, international arms and related transaction," the minister said while stating that the police have recently busted one or two such dark nets, which operate through the internet. "There are many dark nets. It is not limited only to drugs but many other illegal activities such as child prostitution, arms deal at the international-level. Our officers have succeeded to bust one or two such dark nets," he pointed out.

Earlier, Lankesh stated that the drug network in sandalwood (Kannada film industry) is far and wide and many young actors and actresses organise rave parties.

His remarks come in the wake of drug racket which was busted on August 26 in the city. The NCB arrested former Kannada television actress D Anikha and two of her accomplices R Ravindran and M Anoop.

The NCB had seized huge cache of drugs from the accused, including 145 ecstasies or MDMA pills and Rs 2.2 lakh in cash from Royal Suites Hotel Apartment in the city's northeast suburb on August 21 and more pills in a follow-up raid last week.

The drug racket is suspected of supplying recreational and party drugs to Sandalwood actors, children of VIPs, students and others.

"Noted musicians and actors in the Kannada film industry are under the scanner after their links to drugs came to light," a NCB official earlier said.

Bommai blames AP, 'T' for drug menace

Bengaluru: Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday squarely blamed the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states for the growing drug menance in Karnataka.

With the expose of drugs link to the Kannada industry, Bommai said, "There are border regions around Bengaluru. There is Tamil Nadu border at Anekal and Andhra Pradesh border near Hoskote. There we will form coordination committees for the purpose of information gathering, sharing and initiating action.

He said that the Karnataka government will set up coordination panels with the neighbouring states in the border districts to check the drug menace. Action will be taken against foreign nationals involved in drug peddling and those overstaying here illegally will be arrested. The External Affairs Ministry will be informed about those overstaying and urged to send them to their respective countries, he said. Against the backdrop of the Narcotics Control Bureau of India's recent raid and arrest of three people with a huge cache of hard drugs, Bommai chaired a meeting with senior police officials to review the measures taken by them.

Bommai said ganja coming from other states such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa has to be stopped completely for which directions will be given to the superintendents of police of border districts.