Malayalam film actor Sreenath Bhasi recently approached the Kerala High Court with a plea for anticipatory bail after his name reportedly came up in a drug-related case involving hybrid ganja.
The case took a turn when it was brought before Justice P. V. Kunhikrishnan on 7th April, where the actor's counsel informed the Court that the petition was being withdrawn. The Court permitted the withdrawal of the petition.
“When the case was taken up today (7th April), the Counsel informed Justice P. V. Kunhikrishnan that he was withdrawing the petition. The Court allowed the same.”
The background of the case traces to a recent arrest made by the Excise Department's Special Investigation Team. A woman named Thasleema Sulthana, also known as Christeena, and a person named Feeroze were caught near Alappuzha with 3 kilograms of ganja. The value of the seized ganja is estimated to be around Rs. 2 Crore.
Following the arrest, the Excise Deputy Commissioner stated that digital evidence, including WhatsApp chats, hinted at the involvement of Malayalam film actors. It was claimed that Sreenath Bhasi and Shine Tom Chacko were clients of Christeena.
While Sreenath Bhasi has not been named as an accused in the case so far, he moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail, fearing possible arrest or future implication.
In the anticipatory bail petition, the actor narrated his version of events. He mentioned that he had received Christeena’s contact number during a film shoot in Kozhikode, where she introduced herself as a fan. Later, she called him and allegedly offered cannabis.
“The actor submitted that he thought she was joking or teasing, and therefore, he ignored the call.”
He further stated that she had sent him a WhatsApp message asking, “Do the petitioner needs?” Believing that she was continuing to tease him, the actor replied with just “wait” and then did not engage further in the conversation.
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“The petitioner submitted that thinking she was still teasing him, he replied ‘wait’ and left the conversation there.”
The actor’s petition was based on the fear of being wrongly implicated due to the existence of this message exchange. However, he has now chosen to withdraw the petition, which may imply a change in his legal strategy or confidence that he won’t be arrested immediately.
The case continues to remain in the public spotlight, especially because of the alleged involvement of film industry figures, and the use of digital evidence as a key component in the investigation.
Case Tile: Sreenath Bhasi v State of Kerala
Case No: BA 5057 of 2025
