After HillTop Steve’s arrest, four more Goan restaurant and club owners could be arrested in the coming days

HYDERABAD: According to sources in the Hyderabad police probing the drug peddling and trafficking cases, arrested Goan drug peddler Pritesh Narayan Borkar has revealed the names of over 25 Goan restaurants, clubs, nightclubs and shack owners on whose premises drugs are regularly sold and who turn a blind eye to the drug trade on their properties and in their establishments.  ALSO READ: Drug peddler Pritesh Narayan Borkar reveals names of 25 Goan restaurant, clubs owners to Hyderabad police where drugs allegedly sold

We have learnt that out of these names, about18-odd venues are under discreet surveillance by the Hyderabad cops and about four or five Goan restaurant and club owners could be arrested in the coming days as the authorities have unearthed evidence in terms of phone calls and other transactions to prove their involvement and knowledge of drug trade on their properties. ALSO READ: Vagator club Hill Top owner Steve D’souza arrested by Hyderabad cops in drug case

The cops probing the drug case have got concrete evidence and several witness accounts of drug trade going on in these four restaurants and their owners could either be summoned or arrested in the coming 4-6 days.

The Hyderabad Narco cops who have obtained Steve’s police custody will interrogate HillTop owner Steve aka  John Stephen D’Souza and record his statements. He is being taken to Hyderabad by air today. ALSO READ: Crucial WhatsApp messages and other data deleted from Sonali Phogat’s iPhone?

The owner of the Curlies restaurant Edwin Nunes is also wanted by the Hyderabad police in the same drug-related F.I.R being CR No 374/2022 registered at the Osmania University Police Station, Hyderabad City, Telangana State. ALSO READ: Hyd cops name Goan clubs Curlies and HillTop owners Edwin Nunes, Steve D’souza as “drug suppliers” 

Nunes and has approached the Hyderabad courts for anticipatory bail and his application is pending.

Under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), owners of properties, establishments and venues where drugs are found are also liable for prosecution and the onus of proof lies with the accused owners who have to prove that they were not aware of the presence of drugs on their premises or the fact that the place was being used for drug-related activities. ALSO READ: Hyd court rejects anticipatory bail application of Curlies restaurant owner Edwin Nunes, could be arrested anytime