Telugu film cinematographer Shyam K Naidu was today questioned for over five hours by the Telangana excise department's SIT in connection with a probe into the high-end narcotics trade racket busted in the city.
SIT sleuths had yesterday grilled noted film director Puri Jagannadh for around 10 hours in connection with the cases registered after it busted the racket on July 2.
Naidu, who appeared before the SIT at the excise department's office at Nampally here, cooperated with the sleuths during questioning, Prohibition and Excise department Commissioner R V Chandravadan told reporters.
"Detailed investigation is going on. We are trying to get all information related to the cases and dig deeper into the racket," he said, adding the SIT is seeking cooperation of others who have been summoned.
Chandravadan said if required, some more persons may be summoned.
Naidu was among the 12 Tollywood personalities, including actors, directors and producers, against whom the department had last week issued notices under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, asking them to appear before its special investigation team (SIT).
Actor P Subba Raju would appear before the SIT tomorrow.
Jagannadh, the 'Pokiri' fame director, gave "certain clues" in connection with the racket and his blood sample, hair and nails were also taken and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory here, excise officials said.
"It may take two months to get the report," they said.
After the marathon questioning yesterday, Jagannadh, in a video message posted on his Twitter handle, said he had no links with Calvin Mascarenhas, a key accused arrested in the case, or his gang members and that he never met them.
"I do not indulge in any illegal activity... I personally know some journalists. I and my family members feel bad because some of them showed me in a bad light in their TV programmes without knowing the facts and ruined our lives," he said.
Meanwhile, representatives of three major courier firms today attended a meeting with the SIT after they were asked to do so in connection with the ongoing probe.
"Written instructions were issued to them (courier firms) regarding prevention of delivery of banned narcotic and psychotropic substances by courier," the excise officer said.
Among the 13 people arrested so far in connection with the racket is a US citizen, identified as Dundu Anish, a former aerospace engineer who had worked with NASA, and seven BTech graduates, most of whom were working with multi-national companies here.
Names of some Tollywood personalities cropped up during interrogation of the arrested people, excise officials had earlier said.
The racketeers used to sell high-end drugs such as Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and methylenedioxy- methamphetamine (MDMA) after placing orders for them through darknet and got the banned narcotics delivered by courier.
LSD, sold as tablets and liquid, is known to be one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals, while MDMA, commonly referred to as molly or ecstasy, is a popular recreational or party drug.
According to investigators, the gang catered to nearly 1,000 customers, including students of city-based schools and colleges, a film producer, senior officials of MNCs, besides some employees of IT firms in Cyberabad.
The excise officials also said a six-member team led by Deputy Commissioner (Prohibition and Excise-Hyderabad) Vivekananda Reddy, will be undergoing a six-day United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Training Programme on Combating Drug Trafficking at Bengaluru from July 24.
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