'Prayaga Martin and Sreenath Bhasi met Omprakash'; Drug case involving goon links to film stars

Kochi: The Malayalam film industry is shaken following reports that gangster leader Omprakash, who was arrested in Kochi, organised a drug party at a hotel in Maradu, and that young film stars, including Sreenath Bhasi and Prayaga Martin, had visited him. These revelations come amid the ongoing controversies surrounding the Hema Committee report and related sexual harassment cases, further shaking up the Malayalam film industry.

Omprakash (44), the notorious gangster leader, was arrested recently by police from the Nakshatra Hotel in Kundannoor, Kochi. Along with him, police also arrested Shihas (36), his accomplice and a marble dealer from Kollam. It was learned that cocaine and other narcotics besides liquor bottles were seized from them. Both are accused in over 20 cases. During the subsequent investigation, the police discovered that film actors had also visited Omprakash's hotel room. 

The police have released the names of actors who visited Omprakash. It has now been revealed that young actors Prayaga Martin and Sreenath Bhasi visited Omprakash. Both their names are mentioned in the remand report.

The police also found a small quantity of cocaine in Omprakash's possession. Therefore, it is suspected that a drug party involving film stars and others took place in the hotel room before the police arrived. 

According to the police, around 20 people, including the two actors, were present in Omprakash's room recently. The police also stated that Omprakash had booked a total of three rooms at the Nakshatra Hotel at Maradu in Kochi. Realising that he was under police surveillance, Omprakash did not book the rooms in his own name. Instead, the rooms were booked by a person named Bobby Chalapathi, and the police are also investigating him. According to the police remand report, besides Sreenath Bhasi and Prayaga Martin, others named Baiju, Anoop, Don Louis, Arun, Aloysius, Sneha, Tipson, Sridevi, Roopa and Pappi were also among those who visited Omprakash at the hotel rooms.

The police also revealed that the accused were planning to store cocaine and distribute it at a DJ party. There was also secret information that cocaine was being brought in from abroad and distributed at DJ parties in Ernakulam and other districts.

Omprakash had ealier also made headilines when the gang led by him purportedly got involved in an attempt to murder four youth near Pattoor on January 8, 2023.