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Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko, arrested in drug use case, gets bail
Chacko was asked to appear before the Ernakulam North Police Sub-Inspector on Saturday.
Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko, who was arrested on Saturday by Kochi City North Police officials in connection with alleged drug use, has been released on bail.
Police said that he was booked under Sections 27 (consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, PTI reported.
The arrest comes a day after the Kochi city police served a notice to Chacko, directing him to appear for questioning in connection with an incident where he allegedly fled from a hotel during an anti-drug raid.
According to police, the notice was delivered to the actor’s family at his residence in Thrissur, as he was not present then.
"A notice was issued since the incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Ernakulam North Police Station," a senior police officer said.
Chacko was asked to appear before the Ernakulam North Police Sub-Inspector on Saturday.
Police said that the purpose of the questioning was to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the actor’s alleged escape during the search operation.
Chacko's name appeared in hotel logs during raids
The District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) team had reached a hotel near Kaloor around 10:45 pm on Wednesday in search of an accused in a drug case.
Although the suspect was not found, officers came across Chacko’s name in the hotel register. When they proceeded to his room on the third floor, he allegedly fled.
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A video has since surfaced, reportedly showing the actor fleeing the hotel after noticing the police presence.
Police said preliminary evidence, including CCTV footage, suggests that the person seen escaping was Chacko.
As no drugs were recovered from the hotel, no case has been registered in connection with the incident.
Chacko recently made headlines when actor Vincy Aloshious, who had earlier posted on Instagram about "inappropriate behaviour" from a co-actor under the influence of drugs on set, named him in a complaint lodged with the Film Chamber and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
The complaint pertains to alleged misconduct during the shoot of the yet-to-be-released 'Soothravakyam.’
Later, Aloshious said that she is ready to withdraw the complaint as she is disappointed that the actor’s name was leaked to news channels.
