Two Malayalam film directors detained with hybrid cannabis

After actor Shine Tom Chacko, who is facing charges of using drugs on the sets, the Excise officials arrested three, including Malayalam film directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza, and seized 1.63 gm of hybrid cannabis (ganja) from a flat here in the wee hours of Sunday. 

They were released on station bail around 5.30am. Shalif Mohammad, a friend of the directors, was also arrested from the flat. 

The Excise sleuths raided the flat around 2am on Sunday. 

According to the Excise team, cinematographer Sameer Thahir had rented the flat. 

"We took the three into custody from a flat in Kochi and seized the hybrid ganja. A case is registered against them under sections 20(b) (II) A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985,” said the official at the Excise squad office in Ernakulam.

Excise inspector KP Pramod told media persons that the trio nabbed from the flat are regular drug users. 

The directors and their friend had reached the flat for discussions related to a movie, he said. 

"We nabbed them from flat 506 of Purva Grandbay in Kochi. When we raided the flat, they were preparing to consume the ganja. After interrogating them, we confirmed that the three persons had been using ganja for a long time,” said the official. 

He added that the trio were released on station bail as only 1.5 gm of ganja was seized from them. 

"However, a detailed probe will be conducted to identify the source of the hybrid ganja," he said.

Khalid Rahman is the director of several hit films such as Anuraga Karikkinvellam, Unda, and Thallumala. 

His latest movie Alappuzha Gymkhana is currently running in packed theatres. Ashraf Hamza is known for movies Thamaasha, Sulaikha Manzil and Bheemante Vazhi.

With the arrest of the directors, the alleged drug abuse in the Malayalam film industry is back in the spotlight. Shine Tom Chacko hogged the headlines after a ‘cinematic escape’ from a hotel raided by DANSAF (District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force) team. He was later released on station bail after interrogation and medical examination.

According to official sources, the Excise Department will summon cinematographer-director Sameer Thahir for questioning in connection with the arrest of movie directors on Sunday. A notice will be served to Thahir to appear for interrogation, as giving a space for drug use is also an offence under the NDPS Act, Excise Deputy Commissioner TM Maju said. 

"We need to interrogate the flat owner in detail. We don’t know whether the three accused got access to the flat after convincing him that they are going to have a film discussion,” he said.

The official confirmed that 1.63 grams of hybrid ganja, a bong, a device used for inhaling ganja, and a grinder were recovered from the flat. A detailed probe will be conducted to identify the source of the ganja and the devices, he said. 

"We don’t know whether they are drug addicts or not. They only confessed to us that they had used ganja,” said Maju.

The excise officials conducted the raid as part of the second phase of Operation Clean State, a crackdown on drugs. 

"We have observed that hybrid ganja is a new trend among the drug users. We raided the flat based on a tip-off. Initially, they only stated that they work in the film industry. Further interrogation revealed that two of them are famous directors. Shalif Mohammad brought ganja to the directors,” said the official.

In the wake of the latest development, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) Directors’ Union suspended filmmakers, Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza from the body. 

In a statement, the union president Renji Panickar and general secretary GS Vijayan said further steps would be initiated after examining the progress of the ongoing investigation.