Chekwume Malvin, the 45-year-old Nigerian actor who works in the Indian film industry, was arrested in an alleged drug peddling case on Wednesday, The Hindu reported.
KG Halli police in Bengaluru arrested the actor for allegedly peddling drugs in the city. He was reportedly nabbed red-handed near the BDA complex in HRBR Layout. According to the report, the police seized 15 grams of MDMA, 250 ml of hashish oil, Rs 2500 in cash, and a mobile phone, all amounting to an estimated total value of around Rs 8 lakh.
The Hindu report further adds that Malvin allegedly confessed that he had indulged in drug peddling through his network to make some quick money.
A case has been registered against the actor under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the police are examining the actor’s phone records.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Malvin had come to India on a medical visa. But he had joined the New York Film Academy in Mumbai to learn acting. The police also noted that he had earlier completed a six-month acting course from the same academy in Abuja, Nigeria.
After finishing the acting course in Mumbai, Malvin entered the Indian film industry and has acted in 20 films in various languages, such as Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, and Kannada.
Some of his more popular work include performances in the Suriya-starrer Singam 2 (2013), Kamal Hassan’s Vishwaroopam (2013) and Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale (2015).
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According to a Times of India report, in Singam 2, Malvin portrayed the role of antagonist Danny Sapani’s assistant, who is involved in a drug smuggling racket. The Nigerian actor can be seen in the scenes when Suriya arrests Danny for his illegal entry at the Tuticorin airport, and in the film’s climax when Suriya fights with Danny and his gang.
Malvin has also acted in Kannada films like the 2011 romantic comedy film Paramathma and the 2012 romantic action film Anna Bond, both starring actor Puneeth Rajkumar.