Kochi: The Maradu police are unlikely to question Malayalam actor Prayaga Martin again in connection with the narcotics case related to notorious gangster Om Prakash, as they have found her responses satisfactory. Martin testified that she did not know Prakash and was at the hotel with her friends, including Sreenath Bhasi and his acquaintance Binu Joseph.
The Kerala police on Thursday questioned actors Bhasi and Martin for several hours in connection with its probe in a narcotic substance abuse case following the recent arrest of Prakash and his accomplices from a luxury hotel here. 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. The actors have also expressed their willingness to provide samples for a narcotics test.
While Bhasi did not talk to reporters after his questioning, Martin spoke to the media and denied knowledge about 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 unaware that Prakash was there or that a drug party was 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.
The custody application report submitted by Maradu police mentioned both Bhasi and Martin's names. 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 from the hotel in Maradu 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. Prakash had booked hotel rooms under another person's name to avoid detection. A detailed investigation revealed that over 20 individuals, including film actors Bhasi and Martin, had visited Prakash at the hotel.
