Kochi: Malayalam actor Dileep, who was arrested in connection with the abduction and assault case of a South Indian actress, being produced before the Magistrate court which sent him to 14 days judicial custody, in Kochi on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)
Malayalam actor Dileep, booked for conspiracy in the actress’ abduction and molestation case, was sent to two days police custody by the Angamaly Judicial Magistrate court on Wednesday. The actor, represented by noted High Court lawyer K Ramkumar, had filed an application for bail. While the police demanded Dileep’s custody for three days for further questioning and collection of evidence, the court allowed custody for two days. The actor meanwhile has claimed that he was ‘trapped’ in the case and pleaded innocence.
According to the police’s remand report, Dileep has been booked under 10 sections including conspiracy, gangrape and destruction of evidence. If the conspiracy charge under section 120 (B) is proved against the actor, he may even get a life term in jail. At the same time, it is believed that other sections could be dismissed by way of benefit of doubt if the conspiracy charge is not proved.
Investigative officers will now look to gather more evidence and find out about the involvement of more people in the case. Further arrests are likely.
On Tuesday, a day after his arrest, Dileep was removed from primary membership of film artists associations AMMA and FEFKA. Actors, who had supported him earlier, have distanced themselves from the incident. Mukesh, one of the AMMA members and a Left-backed MLA, may also be questioned in connection with the case.
On the night of February 17 this year, a leading actress was abducted and allegedly molested in a moving car while she was on her way from Thrissur to Kochi. The prime accused in the case, Pulsar Suni aka Sunil Kumar, was arrested days after the incident. Dileep’s role in the abduction came to light after a convict, who stayed with Suni in jail, gave the police new information regarding the case. Suni’s alleged letter to Dileep written from jail and his tapped phone conversations led to the actor’s interrogation. On Monday, the actor was arrested and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
