Kochi : Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko was arrested on Saturday and later taken to the General Hospital by Kochi City North Police officials for a medical test in connection with alleged drug use, Kerala police officials said in an official statement.
As per the statement, the Malayalam actor appeared before the police in connection with an incident where he ran away from a hotel room in Kochi during a raid. Earlier, the police had stated that Shine would appear at 10:30 am. However, he reached the Ernakulam North Police Station with his lawyers at 10 am, half an hour earlier than expected.
Shine appeared in response to a notice issued by the police, which asked him to explain the reason behind his attempt to flee from the hotel room. On April 17, BJP leader Nivedita Subramanian slammed the Kerala government for its silence on the rising number of abuse cases against women in the state's film industry.
This follows Malayalam actress Vincy Aloshious filing a complaint against Shine Tom Chacko, accusing him of inappropriate behaviour and substance abuse on set. Subramanian slammed the Kerala government for "remaining silent" on the growing cases of abuse against women.
While speaking to ANI, Subramanian said, "In Kerala, abuse of women and children is on the rise, especially in sectors like the film industry. There have been many issues, such as the casting couch, but the ruling party is actually silent on these matters and is blind to the atrocities happening to women."
Subramanian went on to say that similar complaints had been raised in the past, but the government continues to ignore them. "We have raised this issue many times before the ruling party and the leaders of the state, but the government is actually doing nothing to address it and is facilitating such mafias," she added.
Aloshious recently filed a formal complaint against Shine Tom Chacko with the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce and the film industry's internal complaints committee. Known for her roles in Rekha, Vikruthi, and Jana Gana Mana, Vincy shared her discomfort in an Instagram video, saying the actor's behaviour--especially on the sets of Suthravakyam--was inappropriate and unprofessional.
In the video, Vincy said, "Some days ago, at an anti-drug campaign, I made a statement that I would not work with people I know who use drugs. After that, several comments were made questioning my statement, and I felt the need to clarify why I had made it. I am doing this video to make my stand clear."
She went on to describe specific incidents that made her feel uncomfortable during the shoot. She alleged that the actor, who was the lead artist in the film, misbehaved with her and a fellow colleague while under the influence of drugs.
One such incident, she said, involved the actor offering to accompany her to fix a wardrobe malfunction in front of the entire crew. Vincy said she found the offer inappropriate and difficult to accept.
She also described another unsettling moment where the actor was allegedly seen using a white powder during a rehearsal.
"He was spitting some kind of white powder onto the table, which was very evident that he was using drugs on set," Vincy said. She added that although she felt uncomfortable, she continued working on the film because the actor played a major role in it.
Vincy further claimed that the production team was aware of the issue. While the director addressed the matter, the shooting went on as planned due to the actor's importance in the film. The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, one of the leading bodies in the state's film industry, is now reviewing the complaint filed by Vincy.