Tasleena Sultana was arrested in Alappuzha with ₹2 crore worth of ganja while handing it to distributors. She confessed to supplying drugs to actors; digital evidence suggests deeper film industry links
Published Apr 13, 2025 | 2:17 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 13, 2025 | 2:17 PM
Shine Tom Chacko. (File photo)
Synopsis: The arrest of Tasleena Sultana in Alappuzha with ₹2 crore worth of hybrid ganja has renewed focus on police lapses in high-profile drug cases. Her alleged links to Malayalam actors, including Shine Tom Chacko, come amid recent court criticism of investigative failures in his cocaine case, raising questions about enforcement integrity and celebrity drug connections in Kerala
The arrest of a woman on 2 April, allegedly linked to Malayalam actors, had reignited scrutiny over the police’s handling of high-profile drug cases.
Following this, the Ernakulam Additional District Sessions Court’s has criticised the investigative lapses in the Shine Tom Chacko cocaine case.
On 2 April, Tasleena Sultana, also known as Christina, was arrested in Alappuzha with hybrid ganja worth ₹2 crore. The arrest was made by Narcotics Circle Inspector Mahesh and his team while she was allegedly attempting to hand over the contraband to local distributors. Her children were present at the scene during the operation.
According to the excise department, Tasleena confessed to supplying drugs to Malayalam actors Shine Tom Chacko and Sreenath Bhasi. Officials claim digital evidence supports her statement, strengthening suspicions of a deeper nexus between the narcotics trade and the film industry.
Originally from Chennai, Tasleena is believed to have smuggled hybrid ganja from Thailand and operated out of Kochi. She was reportedly working alongside a man identified as Firoz from Mannancherry.
Authorities also suspect her involvement in an earlier case involving drugging, sexual assault, and possible links to a sex trafficking ring.
The Ernakulam Additional District Sessions Court had sharply criticised the police investigation, citing several procedural lapses: the absence of a proper search memo, no woman officer present during the examination of female accused, and interrogation by a gazetted officer not officially on duty.
More significantly, the court observed that police failed to scientifically prove drug consumption by Shine Tom Chacko and four others, or to establish that the seized cocaine belonged to them.
The verdict also pointed to inconsistencies in forensic reports and contradictions in police statements.
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
