KOCHI: The excise department, on Wednesday, served summons to filmmaker and cinematographer Sameer Thahir to appear before the officials within a week.

The summons is to interrogate him in connection with the hybrid ganja case in which three, including filmmakers Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza, were arrested from his flat in Kochi.

“As per the investigation, the flat, from where the contraband was seized, was rented by Sameer. So, we have served him a notice to appear before the probe team for interrogation within seven days,” said M F Suresh, Ernakulam assistant excise commissioner.

We have also expanded our investigation to trace the individuals who supplied the drugs to the suspects, he said. A special squad with the excise department had apprehended three — Khalid Rahman, Ashraf Hamza and their friend Shalif Muhammad — with 1.63g of hybrid ganja around 2am from the flat on April 27.

Following the seizure, the suspects were booked under various offences including consumption and abetment, under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. They were later released on bail.