Kochi: A cyber forensic expert has been facing harassment from the Crime Branch over his links to actor Dileep. The Kerala High Court has directed the police not to summon him for questioning without giving prior notice to him.
Kozhikode native and cyber forensic expert Sai Sankar had filed a petition in the high court alleging that he was threatened by the Crime Branch to give a statement saying that he had seen some of the visuals in Dileep’s phone and the footage was destroyed on the direction of the actor and his lawyers.
Sai Sankar alleged that he and his wife were being harassed by the investigation officials Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Baiju Paulose and Thrissur Crime Branch Superintendent of Police (SP) Sudharsanan.
The officials are forcing me to give statement against Dileep and his lawyer B Raman Pillai, Sai Sankar stated.
The petitioner also alleged in his petition that he was falsely implicated in two cases earlier over his enmity with Baiju Paulose. His first wife died by suicide earlier when he was implicated in a false case in 2015.
The petitioner said he had sought treatment at a mental health centre after being released on bail. There was an attempt to arraign him as an accused in a false case registered in the Perumbavoor police station. He received anticipatory bail in this case from the high court.
Sai Sankar had appeared before the court from advocate Raman Pillai’s office. He had met Dileep in the advocate's office. As per Dileep's requirement, the photos from his phone were transferred to the pen drive. However, there was no tampering with the contents in the phone.
The petitioner said the police officer had promised that if he gave a favourable statement then he would be released in the two cases. Besides, the police also assured him and his wife mandatory protection that could be availed by witnesses.
A petition filed by him in the Kerala High Court, seeking relief will be heard again on March 21 by Justice Anu Sivaraman.
Mobile phones are crucial to the two cases in which Dileep is embroiled. It is alleged he is in possession of the video clip on sexual assault of a popular actress in 2017. Also crucial leads on the alleged plot to harm cops who were in charge of the actress assault case are likely in the phones. The forensic examination had earlier found that the data of the iPhone belonging to Dileep was deleted two days prior to the high court direction to deposit his phones with its registrar on January 31.
Dileep's petition on media reporting deferred yet again
The high court has set aside for 10 days the hearing on Dileep's petition seeking to restrain media from reporting court proceedings of the sexual assault case till the completion of the case in trial court.
Justice Kauser Edappagath deferred the hearing for 10 days considering the request of the petitioner.
