Kerala rapper Vedan arrested for drug possession in Kochi: Reports

Kerala rapper Vedan (real name Hirandas Murali) was arrested on Monday, April 28, 2025, after nearly six grams of cannabis were recovered from his apartment near Vyttila, police said.

According to reports, personnel from the Hill Palace police station, acting on a tip-off, carried out the raid and found the narcotic substance.

“We recovered nearly six grams of ganja (cannabis) from his apartment following a tip-off," a police official confirmed.

They added that Vedan had returned to the flat with eight friends after performing at a stage show on Sunday night.

At the time of filing this report, according to The Hindu, Vedan and his companions were still being questioned. “He will be booked as per the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after the interrogation is completed,” police said.

They also noted that since the quantity seized was minimal, Vedan could be released on station bail.

“We will reveal further details related to the seizure soon,” a senior police officer added.

A native of Thrissur, Vedan gained popularity with his rap video Voice of the Voiceless. He also collaborated with music director Sushin Shyam for the promotional song Kuthanthram for the hit film Manjummel Boys.

The arrest of Vedan comes just days before the high-profile detention of Malayalam filmmaker Khalid Rahman and others in separate drug-related cases. While the incidents are not officially linked, police sources noted that Vedan’s case was among the early signs of a wider crackdown on drug use among celebrities and artists in Kerala.