Kerala Court Clears Actor Shine Tom Chacko in 2015 Drug Case

A Kerala court has acquitted actor Shine Tom Chacko and six others in a 2015 drug-related case. Charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act were dismissed for Chacko, four women, a Nigerian national, and a Tamil Nadu native. Details of the verdict are pending.

A Kerala court has acquitted actor Shine Tom Chacko along with six others involved in a high-profile 2015 drug case. The case was reviewed by the Ernakulam First Additional District and Sessions Judge Sulekha M, who pronounced the order on Tuesday.

Besides Chacko, the court also acquitted four women: Reshma Rangaswamy, Assistant Director Blessy Sylvester, Tincy Babu, and Sneha Babu. Nigerian national Okowe Chigozie Collins and Tamil Nadu native Prithvi Raj were similarly cleared of charges. All had been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

While the court's brief statement said that all accused were found not guilty, a detailed order is awaited. The charges were brought after an alleged cocaine seizure on January 31, 2015, in Kadavanthra. The legal outcome puts an end to a lengthy judicial process involving the alleged drug possession and distribution activities.