Actress Sexual Assault Case: Kerala HC reserves order in actor Dileep's plea to suspend the further probe

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday reserved orders in the plea of actor Dileep seeking to suspend further probe into the 2017 actress abduction case.

Justice K. Edappagath decided to reserve his verdict after hearing all parties.

It was on February 14, exactly a week after the High Court granted anticipatory bail to him in the fresh case registered against him by the Crime Branch following fresh disclosures by his former friend and director Balachandrakumar, that he would do away a few police officials who had investigated the 2017 actress abduction case in which he is presently out on bail, that Dileep filed a petition to quash the FIR in the case.

On Thursday in the court, Dileep's counsel argued that the fresh disclosure was "a cooked up one" by the prosecution to book the actor and to fabricate evidence against him after the probe agency failed to find any material against him in the actress abduction case.

Counsel for the actor pointed out that it was the probe official in the actress abduction case Baiju Paulose who had hired Balachandrakumar who came out with false stories after he realised that the trial in the 2017 case before the Sessions Judge was not proceeding in his favour.

Meanwhile, Director General of Prosecution T.A.Shaji, appearing for the prosecution, said that it will take three more months to complete the further investigation and informed that 20 people have been examined and digital evidences have also been collected.

Counsel for the victim (actress), who was given the permission last week to implead in the petition, also argued that further investigation is necessary to arrive at the truth.

Counsel also said that Balachandrakumar took long to make the disclosure since he was unsure if he should do, as he was worried for his life.

A frontline south Indian heroine had complained that she had been abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of goons in 2017 and certain scenes were filmed to blackmail her. After the main accused Sunil was arrested and questioned, Dileep was accused of being the main conspirator in the case and arrested.

According to the prosecution, Dileep, who is presently out on bail after spending two months in jail, had also seen the visuals of the attack on the actress.