Kochi: Kerala Police arrested Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko on Saturday after about a four-hour long interrogation in connection with a drug case.
Chacko had fled from a hotel here during a narcotics raid earlier this week, prompting Kochi city police to serve a notice to the actor, directing him to appear for questioning, reported PTI.
Police delivered the notice to the actor’s family at his Thrissur home, as he was not present then.
The 41-year-old actor has been charged 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.
Chacko, who made headlines with fantasy comedy film ‘Ithihasa’ — the highest-grossing Malayalam film in 2014 — appeared before the Kochi City Police for questioning to ascertain the circumstances surrounding his alleged escape during the search operation.
A 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.
The suspect was not found, but officials found Chacko’s name in the hotel register. As they proceeded to his room on the third floor, Chacko allegedly fled.
A video surfaced, showing the actor fleeing the hotel after noticing police personnel. According to police, preliminary evidence, including CCTV footage, suggests that the person seen escaping was Chacko.