The Karnataka High Court has issued a temporary stay on the criminal proceedings against Telugu actor Kolla Hema, who was implicated in a drug case following a rave party raid near Electronics City in May 2024. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar granted the interim stay after Hema, aged 52, challenged the validity of the charge sheet filed against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The stay will hold until the court reconvenes to hear the case in four weeks. During Tuesday’s court session, Hema’s legal representative argued that the charges against the actor, particularly under Section 27(b) of the NDPS Act which pertains to the consumption of narcotic substances, were primarily based on the confession of a co-accused rather than any direct evidence. The defense highlighted the absence of independent evidence proving Hema’s consumption of any banned substances.
The allegations stem from a Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru operation, where a rave party was raided, leading to several arrests. The attendees, including Hema, were accused of consuming narcotics after tests reportedly detected psychotropic substances in their blood samples. The charge sheet specifically accuses Hema of consuming MDMA, a well-known synthetic drug.
