Sulthan Bathery: Five excise officials have been suspended for allegedly accepting bribe of Rs 50,000 from a person who smuggled drugs via Muthanga check post on March 21. Inspector TH Shafeeq, PK Prabhakaran, TB Ajeesh, KK Sudheesh and MK Balakrishnan were suspended by the excise commissioner. 

Two officials among the accused, PK Prabhakaran and KK Sudheesh, are already under suspension for their involvement in another case.   

Fazir was caught by the excise officials at the Muthanga check post. He was trying to smuggle MDMA and ganja across the border. However, after accepting the bribe, the accused officials released Fazir on bail booking him only for possessing a mere 30 grams of marijuana. Police at Vythiri sub jail received information regarding the foul play from a conversation between cell inmates Abilash and Fazir. 

Following this, the excise commissioner directed the officials of their vigilance department to launch an investigation into the incident, and the officials were found guilty of accepting the bribe.