Malayalam directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamsa arrested for possessing hybrid ganja; suspended from FEFKA

Thiruvananthapuram: Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza, two known Malayalam filmmakers, were among three persons held in Kochi in the early hours of Sunday for using hybrid ganja.

The incident came close on the heels of the allegations raised by a couple of women actors that actor Shine Tom Chacko used drugs on film sets and misbehaved with them, and the subsequent police actions against him.

Moreover, Chacko, as well as another filmmaker and actor, Sreenath Bhasi, who also faced allegations of using drugs on film sets, are summoned by the Kerala Excise Department as part of the probe against drug peddler Thaslima Sulthana, who was recently held by the Excise with hybrid ganja worth around Rs 2 crore.

Rahman and Hamza were held along with their friend Shalif Mohammed, and 1.63 grams of hybrid ganja was recovered from them. They were at a flat owned by cinematographer Sameer Thahir. The Excise raided the flat at around 2 am. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against them, and they were released on bail.

Mammootty starrer Unda, Biju Menon and Asha Sharath starrer Anuraga Karikkinvellam, and the currently running film Alappuzha Gymkhana are among the prominent films directed by Rahman. Kunchacko Boban starrer Bheemante Vazhi and Vinay Fort starrer Thamaasha are the prominent works of Hamza.

Following the incident, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) suspended the two.

Meanwhile, FEFKA's action against Shine Tom Chacko was limited only to a final warning. It had triggered allegations that fear of Chacko revealing the names of some prominent film personalities involved in drug abuse had forced FEFKA to limit the action against Chacko to a warning. Chacko had reportedly told the police that many others in the film industry were involved in drug use.

Two years ago, the film producers' association had come out openly against some young actors for indulging in drug use on film sets. Sreenath Bhasi and another young actor, Shane Nigam, were even boycotted by the association, accusing them of creating problems on film sets. Later, the two tendered apologies.