Malayalam actress abduction case: HC reserves orders on Dileep's bail plea

Pic Courtesy: Movie Still

Kochi: The Kerala High Court today reserved its orders on the bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested for allegedly plotting the February 17 abduction and assault of a popular South Indian actress.

After hearing both sides--the government and accused, Justice Sunil Thomas, reserved orders on the plea. Opposing the bail plea, Director General of Prosecution claimed that evidence gathered by the investigation agency has established that Dileep is the "kingpin" of the crime.

The prosecution said the actor's judicial custody is required as the investigation agency was still looking for the mobile phone used for taking the video of the criminal act committed by first accused Sunil Kumar, alias 'Pulsar' Suni and his gang.

A "quotation" was given to execute a crime and such a case was reported for the first time in the state, the prosecution said. It said the investigation in the case was still on and there was the possibility of involvement of other accused in the case.

The prosecution said police may seek further custody of Dileep.

There is clear evidence--mobile phone call records and?witnesses--to prove that the prime accused Suni had met the actor at several places to plot the crime, it said.

The prosecution also submitted the case diary in a sealed cover.

Earlier, Dileep's counsel argued that meeting of two persons will not amount to hatching conspiracy and there was no evidence with the investigation agency to prove that the accused --Pulsar and Dileep--had met and talked.

Arguing that sufficient grounds must be indicated by the investigation agency to keep a person in jail, the counsel described as "totally irrelevant" the statements made by the police in its remand report.

Pleading for bail to the actor, the counsel pointed out that Dileep's police custody was already granted by the magistrate court for the purpose of the investigation.

The intention of the case against him was just to humiliate the actor and destroy his career as a film artiste, he said.

Rejecting the contention of police that the actor would influence witnesses in the case, the counsel said it was impossible for him to do so as the first accused in the crime was in custody.

Pleading innocence, he argued that the actor was arrested on the basis of the statement by the first accused, who, he said, is a notorious criminal.

The actor, arrested on July 10, moved the high court for bail after an Angamaly magisterial court refused to grant him the relief and sent him to judicial custody till July 25.

Rejecting the bail plea, the magistrate court had said there is a chance of him tampering with the evidence.

Dileep, charged under various sections of the IPC, including the one for hatching criminal conspiracy for abduction and assault of the actress in a moving car on February 17, is currently lodged in a jail in his home town Aluva.

The police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress and film the dastardly act was hatched by Dileep and 'Pulsar' Suni, the prime accused in the case.

In their remand application, the police had claimed that Dileep had developed a grudge against the actress for letting his former wife know about his alleged affairs and had hatched a conspiracy to take revenge way back in 2013.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle and later escaped.