The Kerala police has "a strong case" against Malayalam actor Dileep and four others, an investigating officer, on the condition of anonymity, told The Quint. This was after questioning the actor and his co-accused for three consecutive days in connection with a conspiracy to murder case.
Dileep was booked this month for conspiring to murder the investigating officers of the 2017 actor assault case. In the 2017 case, he was accused of having conspired to get a woman actor raped. The case is still under trial.
The High Court-sanctioned interrogation ended on 25 January. Speaking to The Quint, the officer said, "The questioning was long and detailed. We have got leads. We are working towards more." Apart from Dileep, his brother P Shivakumar alias Anoop, brother-in-law TN Suraj, friend Baiju Chengamanad, and driver Krishnadas alias Appu, were questioned.
The High Court had restrained police from arresting Dileep till January 27.
Meanwhile, the crime branch issued notices, late on Tuesday evening, to Dileep, his brother and brother-in-law, asking them to produce their old phones by 26 January. They alleged that the accused had changed their phones on 9 January when the FIR in the criminal conspiracy case was registered.
The investigation team has received the forensic report on the digital evidence and the details of the phone calls made by the accused during the past year.
Three Directors Summoned
Director Rafi was summoned on Monday to identify the voice of Dileep in the voice clips which director Balachandra Kumar had submitted before the police. Kumar, who was earlier a friend of the actor, had released some of the clips to media in December 2021.
The clips had conversations, on the actor assault case of 2017, purportedly between Dileep and his relatives. Dileep was booked for conspiracy to murder based on the voice clips Kumar submitted to the police.
The clips are also expected to help the prosecution in the ongoing trial of the actor assault case. The High Court, on Tuesday, gave an extension of ten days to cross examine witnesses in the actor assault case. The trial of the case was initially supposed to end on 27 January.
Meanwhile, Rafi told media persons on Tuesday, that the delay in the production of his film Pickpocket had bothered Balachandra Kumar. But he never told anyone that he was angry with Dileep, OnManorama reported.
Director Vyasan Edavanakkad and director Arun Gopi too were summoned on Tuesday to identify Dileep’s voice. The manager and other two employees of Grand productions, owned by Dileep, were also interrogated by the police.
The Kerala High Court had directed the police to submit a report on the interrogation, in a sealed cover, on Thursday, 27 January.
An Accused to Turn Approver?
Manorama News reported that one of Dileep's co-accused has confirmed the veracity of information provided by director Balachandra Kumar, did take place in the actor's house. The investigating officials said that they have decided to keep the identity of the accused discreet in order to protect him, Manorama reported.
Pulsar Suni Ready to Confess, Says Mother
Meanwhile, the mother 'Pulsar' Suni, the prime accused in the actor assault case, has accused before the Aluva judicial magistrate that Suni fears for his life.
The mother, Shobana, said, "Suni is under a lot of mental distress in the jail. He fears for his life." Like Balachandra Kumar several accused are ready to speak out but are scared for their lives, she accused.
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