Ganja seized from 2 directors, friend

Kochi: Excise sleuths seized 1.6g of hybrid ganja from two popular Malayalam movie directors and another individual when they were about to abuse it at a flat in Kochi in the early hours of Sunday.

Directors Khalid Rahman (Thallumala and Alappuzha Gymkhana fame) and Ashraf Hamza (Bheemante Vazhi) as well as their friend Shalif Mohammed were arrested under the NDPS Act but were given bail as the quantity of the seized ganja was minuscule. A bong (a type of hooka), crushing machine and an OCB paper (smoking paper) too were seized. Excise has information about the person who gave the ganja to the trio and efforts are on to track him, a source said.

The three were nabbed from an apartment along Abraham Madamakkal Road in the city. The excise has information that the flat belongs to popular cinematographer-director Sameer Thahir.

"We will carry out an investigation to see if he was aware of the place being used to abuse drugs. If he was aware, then his statement will also be recorded since providing space to abuse substances can also be brought under the purview of the probe," said an excise officer.

A team led by special squad inspector Pramod KP made the seizure around 2am based on confidential information. "When we entered the room, three individuals, including the two directors, were home. They had gathered to abuse the drugs and their arrest was recorded following procedures. Since the seizure was of a minor quantity, they were let off on bail after a medical examination," said Pramod.

"They were at the apartment for discussions about a film. We had gone to the apartment with the security guard so as to not arouse any suspicion. Had they known that it was sleuths at the door, they could have destroyed the drugs. They opened the door on seeing the security guard and we were able to catch them with the contraband," said an officer.

Excise officials said not only film industry individuals but drug abusers from all sectors were under scrutiny. They said hybrid ganja was getting increasingly popular and efforts were on to keep it in check by finding the source and preventing its import.

Fefka union suspends duo

In the wake of the arrest, Film Employees Federation of Kerala (Fefka) Directors' Union suspended both filmmakers from the body.

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

Opposition leader VD Satheesan, meanwhile, wanted organisations like Fefka and AMMA to take a decision not to cooperate with anyone in the film industry who consumes or distributes drugs.

The arrest of Rahman and Hamza has happened days after actor Shine Tom Chacko was held in a drug case after escaping from a hotel during a police raid.