KOCHI: Malayalam actors Sreenath Bhasi and Shine Tom Chacko are being interrogated by the Excise Department as part of an ongoing probe into the recent seizure of three kilograms of hybrid ganja from Alappuzha. Along with the actors, Palakkad native and model Soumya also appeared for questioning at the office of the Excise Deputy Commissioner in Alappuzha.
Shine arrived at the Excise office around 7.30 am, followed by Sreenath at 8.15 am, and Soumya at approximately 8.45 am. Although the trio had been summoned to appear by 10 am, they reported well ahead of schedule.
Shine reportedly requested Excise officials to complete his interrogation quickly, citing his ongoing de-addiction treatment in Bengaluru. He informed them he would be returning to Bengaluru by evening.
Despite reporters attempting to question Shine, Sreenath, and Soumya upon their arrival, none of them responded. It is understood that they are being interrogated separately.
The summons to the actors follows the arrest of Thasleema Sulthana alias Christina of Chennai, and Feroze, a native of Mannancherry, Alappuzha. The duo was caught with three kilograms of hybrid ganja, valued at Rs 1.5 crore, from a resort in Omanapuzha, Alappuzha, on April 1.
During interrogation, Thasleema reportedly confessed to supplying drugs to several Malayalam film industry personalities before transporting the remaining stock to Alappuzha.
Supporting her claims, Excise officials recovered WhatsApp chats between Thasleema and Sreenath. The investigation also revealed WhatsApp call records between Shine and Thasleema. Soumya, a close friend of Thasleema, is suspected to possess further information about Thasleema's drug dealings.