Kochi, Oct 10 (PTI) The police on Thursday questioned actor Sreenath Bhasi for several hours in connection with its probe in a narcotic substance abuse case following the recent arrest of a notorious gangster and his accomplices at a luxury hotel here.
Bhasi’s name surfaced in connection with the case after the arrest of gangster Om Prakash.
He appeared before the police in the morning after being summoned for questioning.
Besides him, actor Prayaga Martin was also called for questioning.
Both their names were mentioned in the custody application report submitted by Maradu police.
While Martin’s family has denied her involvement in the matter, Bhasi has not yet commented on the development.
The police had reported the presence of some suspected narcotic substances in the hotel room, which had been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination.
The investigation was launched after cases were registered under various laws, including the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Prakash, who has been involved in several criminal cases, was arrested at the Maradu hotel along with his accomplices on charges of possessing illegal narcotics.
According to the Maradu police, they received confidential information indicating that the accused were procuring substances such as cocaine from abroad and distributing them at DJ parties organised in the city.
The accused had been under surveillance by the police intelligence wing.
To avoid detection, Prakash had booked hotel rooms under another person’s name.
A detailed investigation revealed that over 20 individuals, including film actors Bhasi and Martin, had visited Prakash at the hotel.
The inclusion of Bhasi and Martin’s names in the police report comes at a time when allegations of misconduct within the Malayalam film industry, including drug abuse and the sexual harassment of female actors, have resurfaced. PTI HMP HMP ROH
