Actor Shine Tom Chacko was arrested by the Kochi City police on Saturday after more than four hours of questioning at the Ernakulam Town North police station.
The arrest comes months after Chacko was acquitted in a 2015 drug case.
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The actor was summoned to the police station around 10 am for questioning regarding an incident on Wednesday night, when he allegedly fled a hotel in Kaloor during a raid conducted by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF).
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The police had received a tip-off about a drug peddler operating in the area, leading to the raid at the hotel.
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Chacko has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, facing charges under Sections 27 (punishment for consumption of narcotics) and 29 (punishment for abetment and conspiracy). A first information report (FIR) has been filed, though the charges are reportedly bailable.
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During the investigation, police questioned Chacko about his actions during the raid. According to initial reports, the actor claimed he mistook the police team for a group of “ruffians” and fled in fear.
However, CCTV footage from the hotel reportedly shows Chacko escaping by jumping from his room on the third floor, crossing a swimming area, and fleeing on a two-wheeler with another individual.
The police also collected Chacko’s mobile call records and WhatsApp chat details as part of their investigation. Senior officers, including Ernakulam Central Assistant Commissioner C Jayakumar and Narcotics Cell Assistant Commissioner K A Abdul Salam, were involved in the inquiry.
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Although the police conducted a thorough search of Chacko’s hotel room, no narcotics were recovered.
Despite the lack of drugs, the police have continued their investigation into the actor’s role in the incident and his possible involvement in the larger drug network.
The case is ongoing, and authorities are expected to gather more evidence to proceed with legal action.