Police to question actor Shine Tom Chacko, suspecting drug links

Kochi: Kochi city police on Thursday said a notice will be issued to actor Shine Tom Chacko, who allegedly fled from a hotel here, upon noticing an anti-drug raid.

Officials said the actor will be questioned in order to ascertain the reason behind his escape.

Earlier in the day, a video surfaced reportedly showing the actor fleeing from his hotel room after spotting an anti-drug search by the police on Wednesday night.

The search was conducted by the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) under the Kochi City Police.

According to police sources, the DANSAF team reached a hotel near Kaloor around 10.45 pm in search of an accused in a drug case. However, the suspect they were looking for could not be found.

While verifying the hotel register, officers came across the name of actor Chacko. When they proceeded to his room on the third floor, the actor allegedly fled the scene.

Police officers said according to initial evidence, including CCTV footage, it confirms that the person seen escaping in the video was Chacko.

No drugs were recovered from the hotel, officials clarified. "However, the mystery behind his escape is yet unknown and the police are looking into it," a top official said.

A detailed investigation is currently underway, he added.

According to police, upon realising that the DANSAF team had arrived, Chacko escaped from his third-floor room—jumping out of the window onto a sheet covering the second floor.

The sheet tore on impact, after which he leaped into the swimming pool on the same floor and escaped through the staircase, police sources added.

Police said statements from the employees will also be recorded as part of the ongoing probe.

Meanwhile, Malayalam film actor Vincy Aloshious, who shared a post on Instagram about the "inappropriate behaviour" towards her from a co-actor under the influence of drugs on the sets of a movie the other day, named the actor as Shine Tom Chacko in a complaint lodged by her before the Film Chamber.

The actress has also complained to the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) about the misconduct of Chacko on the sets of the yet-to-be released movie, 'Soothravakyam'.

At a recent function in connection with a 'No to Drugs' campaign, Aloshious had announced that she will no longer act with people who use drugs on film sets.

Responding to the many queries about her decision, she posted a video on Instagram explaining that she and her female colleague faced inappropriate behaviour from a co-actor who used drugs on the sets.

Chacko was recently acquitted in a 2015 drug case by the Ernakulam additional sessions court, citing procedural lapses on the part of the police during the drug seizure and the arrest.