Hyderabad: Dr Namrata Chigurupati, the CEO of Omega Hospitals in Hyderabad, was arrested on May 8 after she was allegedly caught red-handed receiving a delivery of cocaine near a restaurant in Raidurgam. She and the delivery person, identified as Balakrishna, were reportedly in possession of 53 grams of the narcotic at the time of arrest.
Cocaine Ordered Over WhatsApp for ₹5 Lakh
According to police, Dr Chigurupati placed the cocaine order on WhatsApp with a Mumbai-based supplier named Vansh Dhakkar. She allegedly transferred ₹5 lakh on May 4 to facilitate the purchase. The delivery was carried out by Dhakkar’s aide Balakrishna, who met the doctor near a restaurant in Raidurgam, where the police intercepted them.
Cash, Phones, and Drugs Seized
Senior police official Venkanna confirmed that the Raidurgam police recovered 53 grams of cocaine, ₹10,000 in cash, and two mobile phones during the bust. Both individuals were taken into custody, and cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered against them.
Doctor Admits to Spending ₹70 Lakh on Drugs
During interrogation, Dr Chigurupati reportedly admitted to a history of drug addiction and revealed she had spent close to ₹70 lakh on procuring narcotics over a period of time. The police have sent a sample of the seized cocaine to the Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for further analysis.
Further Investigation Underway
Authorities are now searching for another individual believed to be a local drug peddler linked to the case. The incident highlights growing concerns around high-value narcotics being trafficked via air routes, as revealed in recent reports by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the DRI’s Mumbai unit seized over 18 kg of cocaine valued at ₹180 crore in 12 separate cases — a trend pointing to the increasing use of air travel in drug smuggling operations.
