Drug abuse case: Kerala police quizzes actors Sreenath Bhasi, Prayaga Martin

Kochi: The Kerala police on Thursday questioned actors Sreenath Bhasi and Prayaga Martin for several hours in connection with its probe in a narcotic substance abuse case following the recent arrest of a notorious gangster and his accomplices at a luxury hotel here.

Both actors' names surfaced in connection with the case after the arrest of gangster Om Prakash.

The actors appeared separately before the police during the day after being called for questioning. Both left at different times of the day after they were questioned.

While Bhasi did not talk to reporters after his questioning, Martin spoke to the media and denied any knowledge about Om Prakash.

"I have no connection with him. I do not know him. After I heard the news about him, I googled his name and found out who he was," she said.

The actor also said that she had gone to the hotel to meet some friends and was not aware that Prakash was there or that a drug party was going on there.

"We go to so many places to meet people, including friends. We cannot ask whether there are any criminals or anti-social elements at these places before we enter," she said.

She also said that for now she has not been asked by the police to come again for questioning.

Both Bhasi and Martin's names were mentioned in the custody application report submitted by Maradu police.

While Martin's family has denied her involvement in the matter, Bhasi has not yet commented on the development.

The police had reported the presence of some suspected narcotic substances in the hotel room, which had been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination.

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

Prakash, who has been involved in several criminal cases, was arrested at the Maradu hotel along with his accomplices on charges of possessing illegal narcotics.

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

The accused had been under surveillance by the police intelligence wing.

To avoid detection, Prakash had booked hotel rooms under another person's name.

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

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 the sexual harassment of female actors, have resurfaced.