Excise team quizzes Bigg Boss Malayalam star Jinto for 8 hours over links with drugs smuggler

KOTTAYAM: A reality show star and a film crew member were questioned for hours by the excise team investigating the seizure of hybrid ganja worth crores from Alappuzha on Tuesday.
Bigg Boss participant Jinto and film crew member Joshy were summoned to the excise office in Alappuzha to collect details about the WhatsApp chat and financial dealings the two had with Tasleema, the prime accused in the ganja smuggling case. The questioning lasted for around eight hours, from 10am to 6pm.
Officers said Tasleema made financial transactions with Jinto 10 days before she was caught for ganja smuggling in Alappuzha. When asked about this, Jinto said that it was in connection with discussions over a fashion show.
Officers said that the target of the questioning was to collect maximum evidence against Tasleema. Most of the questions were in connection with his WhatsApp chats with Tasleema and financial dealings. A team led by excise assistant commissioner S Ashok Kumar led the questioning.
The probe officers said that both do not have any links with ganja smuggling. However, both agreed that they had financial dealings with Tasleema, which officers clarified did not come under the purview of their investigation into the ganja trade.
As per the notice served to him, Joshy arrived on Tuesday morning. Though the media was waiting outside, they couldn't identify Joshy as he went inside the office. By noon, he came out after the interrogation. Speaking to reporters, he said that he has no links with the ganja smuggling. He also said that he was summoned to get clarity about various matters, including introducing Tasleema to a film producer. Jinto arrived at the excise office by 3.30pm.
The excise team had also given a clean chit to actors Shine Tom Chacko, Sreenath Bhasi, and model K Soumya on Monday. In their case also, the excise team said that they could not find any links with the ganja smuggling case.