The Kochi City police seem far from convinced about actor Shine Tom Chacko’s reasoning for fleeing a hotel in the city during an inspection by the city police’s District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) last Wednesday (April 16, 2025) night.
During the hours-long interrogation on Saturday, the actor told the police that he fled as he feared for his life since he had mistaken the police personnel for goons.
“If that was the case, he could have contacted the police or approached us later. But that didn’t happen. We are verifying it as part of the investigation and further information is also being sought from him,” Putta Vimaladitya, District Police Chief (Kochi City), told the media in Kochi on Monday (April 21).
He said the actor would be summoned again if the police had to elicit further information.
Asked about whether the actor was a habitual user of drugs, Mr. Vimaladitya said it would be premature to confirm since more details need to be verified. “Also, there is hardly any specific evidence about his alleged drug transactions, though it is under investigation,” he said.
Mr. Vimaladitya said the investigation was in the initial stages and hence whether more accused were involved could not be confirmed now. “We registered the case because his interrogation prima facie revealed things that need to be investigated. That he fled the hotel during the police check was also suspicious. However, we haven’t taken any coercive action yet,” he said.
The police have not yet received any evidence linking the co-accused of Mr. Chacko to any drug racket. Ahmmed Murshad, 25, of Malappuram, who was allegedly found in Mr. Chacko’s hotel room, was also booked.
“We have taken steps to collect information and follow-up action on the allegation of drug use on film sets. However, there were no specific details about the use of drugs on film sets in Mr. Chacko’s statement,” he added.
“We cannot say whether more charges could be added in the case against the actor as the investigation is at a preliminary stage. If the investigation warrants that, we will do so. A meeting of the investigating officers may also be held,” the police chief said.
Asked whether the police were trying to track down the drug peddler in search of whom the DANSAF team inspected the hotel, Mr. Vimaladitya said that, “even otherwise, the city police were taking necessary action to monitor and act against drug peddlers.”
“We are also registering a lot of cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,” he added.
Mr. Chacko was arrested on Saturday under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act Sections 27 (b) (consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and Section 29 (punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy). He was released on bail later.
Published – April 21, 2025 01:07 pm IST