The Excise Department will summon cinematographer-director Sameer Thahir for questioning after three persons, including Malayalam film directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza, were found in possession of hybrid ganja in his flat on Sunday. A notice will be served to Thahir to appear for interrogation, as giving a space for drug use is also an offence under the NDPS Act, Excise Deputy Commissioner TM Maju said.

“We need to interrogate the flat owner in detail. We don’t know whether the three accused got access to the flat after convincing him that they are going to have a film discussion,” he said. 

The official confirmed that 1.63 grams of hybrid ganja, a bong—a device used for inhaling ganja—and a grinder were recovered from the flat. A detailed probe will be conducted to identify the source of the ganja and the devices, he added. 

“We don’t know whether they are drug addicts or not. They only confessed to us that they had used ganja,” said Maju. The excise officials conducted the raid as part of the second phase of Operation Clean State, a crackdown on drugs. 

“We have observed that hybrid ganja is a new trend among the drug users. We raided the flat based on a tip-off. Initially, they only stated that they work in the film industry. Further interrogation revealed that two of them are famous directors. Shalif Muhammad brought ganja to the directors,” said the official.

Maju said that these illicit drugs are distributed in Kerala from person to person. He added that if a group is involved, busting them would break the entire supply chain.

“All film personalities are not drug users. Only a few people are using it. We will carry out raids strictly based on accurate information. There is no challenge in conducting raids at film locations. All film organisations have extended their support to the crackdown on drugs,” the official told the media.

However, he asserted that the preliminary probe revealed that the accused are not linked with the Alappuzha hybrid ganja case, in which the arrested duo named well-known persons in the film industry as their customers. He added that all angles will be thoroughly investigated.