Kochi police are expanding investigation in the drug case to include Malayalam actors, no formal notices have been issued yet

The names of actors Sreenath Bhasi and Prayaga Martin, both of whom have worked in several hit films, were mentioned in the custody application report filed by the Maradu police. This happened after the arrest of gangster Om Prakash.

While Prayaga’s family denied her involvement in the matter, Sreenath is yet to comment on the development.

Police reported the presence of some suspected narcotics in the hotel room, which were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination. A clearer understanding of the situation can be expected once the test results are available, it said.

Speaking to reporters, Kochi City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya said investigations are ongoing. The team is collecting details including who visited the hotel, the purpose of their visit and what happened there, he said.

The commissioner said as part of the process, several people were summoned and their statements were recorded. “No formal notices have been sent to the film actors so far,” he said in response to queries.

However, the commissioner added that they would be summoned as part of the ongoing investigation.

The investigation was initiated after cases were registered under various laws, including the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Prakash, who was involved in several criminal cases, was arrested along with his accomplices from Maradu Hotel on charges of possession of illegal narcotics.

According to the Maradu police, they received confidential information that the accused were procuring substances such as cocaine from abroad and distributing them at DJ parties organized in the city.

The defendant was monitored by the police secret service.

According to police, to avoid detection, Prakash had booked hotel rooms under someone else’s name.

A detailed investigation revealed that over 20 people, including film actors Bhasi and Martin, had visited Prakash at the hotel.

Prakash was involved in over 30 criminal cases, the police said.

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 sexual harassment of female actors, have resurfaced. These revelations, which are part of the Justice K Hema Committee report, recently caused a major outcry in the state.