Got addicted while pursuing MBA, Former Hyderabad Hospital CEO caught buying Rs 5 lakh cocaine

Hyderabad: In a shocking case of drug abuse, a 34-year-old woman doctor, the former CEO of Omega Hospital in Hyderabad, was arrested after being caught red-handed while allegedly purchasing 53 grams of cocaine, worth Rs 5 lakh, from a Mumbai-based supplier. The delivery person was also apprehended on the spot. 

According to a Times of India report, the doctor had developed a severe cocaine addiction, reportedly consuming it multiple times a day, often up to 10 times within 24 hours. The addiction reportedly caused her to wake every two to three hours at night to consume the drug. 

Her addiction had escalated to the point where she had to sell a property worth approximately Rs 1 crore to finance her drug abuse. The addiction was not limited to cocaine, but she was also addicted to sleeping pills.

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According to a PTI news report, police received credible information that a woman residing in Shaikpet was procuring cocaine from a Mumbai-based dealer. Acting on the tip-off, the police apprehended the doctor and the deliveryman near a restaurant in Hyderabad on May 8, while the latter was handing over the drugs to her in her car.

As per a NDTV news report, the woman doctor ordered the drug from a Mumbai-based supplier, identified as Vansh Dhakkar on WhatsApp, for which she had paid Rs 5 lakh on May 4. When Dhakkar's aide Balakrishna was delivering the drugs, that's when the police caught hold of him and the doctor.  

During the arrest, the police seized 53.85 grams of cocaine, Rs 10,000 in cash, and two mobile phones. The WhatsApp chats retrieved from the doctor's phone, some of which had disappearing messages enabled, reportedly revealed discussions related to drug quantity and cash transactions.

The duo were arrested after a team from Raidurgam Police Station, led by Inspector Ch Venkanna, laid a trap near Mehfil Restaurant in Shaikpet. They observed Balakrishna entering a black Mini Cooper where Dr *** was waiting. The police team, including constables in plain clothes, immediately intervened and detained both suspects. 

Due to a gathering crowd, they were taken to a nearby convention centre, where a search and preliminary interrogation were conducted. She was found in possession of a polythene bag containing 57 small, bud-shaped packets of white powder, which later tested positive as cocaine, SF reports. 

During questioning, the doctor allegedly admitted to having developed a cocaine habit during her time studying MBA in Spain, and that she continued using the drug upon returning to India.

Both the doctor and the deliveryman were arrested under Sections 8(c), 21(b), and 27 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Meanwhile, the main supplier, Vansh Dhakkar, is currently absconding. Police are investigating his possible links to a larger drug trafficking network.

TOI has reported that about 20 days before her arrest on May 9, the police had visited the doctor's house and informed her family that she was under police radar and recommended that they move her into a de-addiction centre. 

Hospital response

In response to the doctor's recent arrest, Omega Hospitals has issued a statement clarifying that Dr ***, mentioned in recent media reports, is not affiliated with the organisation in any capacity. The hospital emphasised that the issue is an isolated personal matter and unrelated to its operations. 

"We emphasise that this is an isolated incident involving personal actions, and Omega Hospitals remains committed to its core mission of providing exceptional oncology and multi-speciality care. As India’s second-largest oncology chain with over 14 hospitals across India, we have successfully treated thousands of patients with dedication and integrity. We urge the media and public to verify facts before attributing unrelated personal conduct to our institution," stated the official note. 

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