The Kerala High Court on Monday allowed the anticipatory bail plea of actor Dileep and others in the latest case against them alleging that they conspired to eliminate officers probing the sexual assault of an actress in 2017. The allegation against the actor was that he hired someone to assault and record a Kerala actress in order to settle a personal vendetta.
Justice Gopinath P granted the relief to the actor, saying that the apprehensions of the police of non-cooperation and influencing witnesses can be dealt with by imposing conditions and if the same are violated, then a plea can be moved for arresting the accused despite grant of anticipatory bail.
The police, opposing the plea, had claimed in the court that Dileep and the others were not cooperating with the probe in the latest FIR against them, while the actor, refuting the allegations, had contended that the case was a “fabricated one” and a “manipulation”.
Director-General of Prosecution T A Shaji and additional public prosecutor P Narayanan, representing the police, had told the court during arguments that the nature and gravity of the accusations against them and their conduct so far disentitle them to any relief.
The actor and the other accused, which include his brother and brother-in-law, on the other hand, had contended that they answered all the queries put to them by the police during their 33 hours long interrogation spread over three days for 11 hours each and that they had only refused to give a confession that was being construed as non-cooperation.
On January 9, the Crime Branch registered the latest case on a complaint filed by an investigating officer based on a purported audio clip of Dileep, which was telecast by a TV channel, in which the actor was allegedly heard conspiring to attack the official.
On January 24, The Crime Branch of Kerala Police had also summoned Malayalam director Rafi for interrogation at the Kalamassery, where they were interrogating actor Dileep.
Apart from Dileep, his brother Anoop, brother-in-law Sooraj, his aide Appu, alias Krishnadas, and close friend Byju Chengamanad were those being interrogated.
For the uninitiated, Dileep made headlines after a frontline South Indian heroine 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, the prosecution charged Dileep with being the main conspirator in the case. Dileep was arrested and jailed. He spent two months in prison before getting bail and the trial is on.
(With PTI inputs)
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