Malayalam film writer suspects Excise raid in his hotel room may be to trap him
text_fields
Kottayam: Najeem Koya, a prominent Malayalam film writer, held a press conference yesterday to make startling allegations against the Excise department. Koya claimed that a recent raid conducted by the department in his hotel room located in Erattupetta, Kottayam district, Kerala, was a deliberate attempt to entrap him. However, the agency swiftly denied these claims.
During the press conference, Najeem Koya, known for his work in popular films such as 'Kaly,' 'Two Countries,' and 'Sherlock Toms,' revealed that a team of over 20 officials from the Excise department raided his hotel room. He expressed his frustration at their thorough inspection, stating that not a single cigarette butt or liquor bottle was found. Koya further alleged that the officials went to great lengths to ransack his belongings, all the while displaying a rude demeanour.
The writer, accompanied by the film director and general secretary of the FEFKA directors' union, B Unnikrishnan, voiced his concern during the 2-3-hour raid. He feared that the officials might "plant" evidence in an attempt to justify his arrest, prompting him to follow the raiding party's every move.
In response to the accusations, a senior Excise official clarified that the raid was conducted based on credible information received from the Intelligence division of the agency. The official refuted Koya's claims regarding the size of the team involved, asserting that it was a standard raiding party and not as extensive as alleged by the writer.
The Excise department official emphasized that all necessary protocols were followed during the operation, and a detailed report was submitted to the Judicial First Class Magistrate's court as per the standard procedure.
Najeem Koya also revealed that he had lodged a complaint regarding the incident with the Kerala Chief Minister. It remains to be seen how the Chief Minister's office will respond to the writer's grievances and whether further investigations or clarifications will be sought from the Excise department.