Death of shopkeeper who serviced Dileep's phones to be re-investigated

Kochi: The death of a shop owner who was entrusted with servicing the mobile phones of Malayali actor Dileep is to be re-investigated after two film directors alleged that there were "mysterious" circumstances surrounding his death and that the shopkeeper was privy to confidential information regarding the actor.

V Saleesh, 42, was killed in an apparent automobile accident in 2020, after his vehicle ran into a median in the outskirts of Kochi. His brother V Shivadas on Monday filed a complaint at Angamaly police station seeking a re-investigation into his death, following the allegations of directors Baiju Kottarakara and Balachandra Kumar.

Saleesh had access to Dileep's phones and was privy to private information regarding Dileep's activities. The fresh complaint by Shivadas will be handed over to the Crime Branch which is investigating the actress abduction and murder case related to Dileep according to a Hindustan Times report.

The new development came as Dileep on Monday submitted six mobile phones at the high court as instructed by it. The crime branch wanted to seize his mobile phones but the actor resisted it, saying he feared fresh charges will be cooked up by the investigating team. The court is expected to give a verdict on his anticipatory bail plea on Tuesday.

Formerly a close friend fo Dileep, Balachandra Kumar's allegations of having overheard Dileep plotting to kill investigating officers in the case, for which a case has been registered against him under sections 116 (abetment to offence), 118 (concealing design to commit an offence), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Kumar had also claimed to have met Pulsar Suni, allegedly the one who carried out the abduction and assault of a prominent actress in Kerala on the behest of Dileep, at Dileep's house in 2016. The alleged plot to take out investigating officers was in 2017, Kumar claimed.

Actor Dileep has denied all charges and has accused the two directors of conspiring to blackmail him. He is currently also being investigated for masterminding the abduction and assault of a prominent Malayali actress in 2016.