Caught drunk-driving, producer complains of ‘missing car’

Finally, after the police explained to him what had happened, Thenappan surrendered his driving licence and agreed to pay a fine.

The incident happened on Radhakrishnan Salai when the Marina traffic police were on regular vehicle check around 11.45 pm on Thursday. Thenappan, producer of films such as Kamal Haasan-starrer Panchathanthiram, was driving one of the vehicles they stopped. The team found that he was driving under the influence of alcohol. 

He was proceeding to his house on Royapettah High Road from a star hotel in Pondy Bazaar, said police sources, adding that he was too drunk to even stand properly. They then hired an auto-rickshaw to drop him home and took his car to the police station. “I can’t believe he drove long in such a condition,” said an officer, adding that he could have even caused an accident had he not been intercepted by the police team.

However, around 2 am, Triplicane police station received a call from Thenappan, who wanted to lodge a complaint that his car was missing. Police had to apprise him of the sequence of events and told him he has been booked for drunk driving. 

On Friday, he surrendered his driving licence to police and agreed to pay the fine before Magistrate on Monday, after which he was allowed to take his car back. 

Marina traffic police said they would recommend the suspension of Thenappan’s licence to the RTO.