Malayalam film directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza were arrested along with a friend in the early hours of Sunday after excise officials seized hybrid ganja from a flat in Kochi, according to local media reports.
The trio — Rahman, Hamza and Shalif Muhammad — were released on station bail around 5.30am. Officials said 1.63g of hybrid ganja was recovered during the raid.
The excise officers raided the flat at Purva Grandbay around 2am. An official from the excise team, who carried out the operation, told Manorama Online that the flat had been rented by cinematographer Sameer Thahir.
“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.
Excise inspector K.P. Pramod said that the three are regular users of ganja and had gathered at the flat for discussions related to a movie. A detailed investigation will be conducted to trace the source of the hybrid ganja, he added.
Rahman, known for films such as Anuraga Karikkinvellam, Unda and Thallumala, currently has Alappuzha Gymkhana running successfully in theatres. Hamza has directed movies like Thamaasha and Bheemante Vazhi.
The arrests have once again brought alleged drug abuse in the Malayalam film industry under scrutiny. Recently, actor Shine Tom Chacko was arrested after attempting a cinematic escape from a hotel during a DANSAF raid. He, too, was released on station bail after interrogation and medical examination.