Actor attack case: Dileep grilled for 7 hours in Kochi, denies all charges raised by Balachandrakumar

Dileep appears for questioning in further probe in actress attack case
Dileep arrives at the Aluva Police Clun for questioning. Photo: Josekutty Panackal

Kochi: The Crime Branch team probing the 2017 actor assault case on Monday questioned actor Dileep as part of a further investigation into the incident.

During the questioning that lasted seven hours, Dileep was asked about his former friend Balachandrakumar's statement that the former had watched the visuals of the assault on the actress. Dileep claimed ignorance of such an incident, Manorama News reported, quoting sources.

Crime Branch ADGP S Sreejith, SP M J Sojan and inquiry officer in the actress attack case Baiju M Paulose headed the interrogation held at the Police Club in Aluva. The main goal of the interrogation was to find out if Dileep was in possession of the visuals of the crime. The police team also wanted to find out Dileep's alleged role in 20 witnesses switching side during the trial.

During the questioning, Dileep refuted all the allegations raised by Balachandrakumar. He said that the film director came up with such baseless allegations after he did not fall into his blackmail trap.

Dileep also added that many others attempted to exploit the situation by using Balachandrakumar.

While saying that there was a larger conspiracy in hooking him in the conspiracy case, the actor said that whenever there was a feeling that the progress of the case was going in his favour, some people used to come up with similar allegations raised by Balachandrakumar.

The actor also asked the Crime Branch team whether they think that a person like him who was embroiled in such a serious criminal case would show such behaviour in front of Balachandrakumar.

The actor will be interrogated on Tuesday also.

The Crime Branch, on its part, is learnt to have asked Dileep to come up with evidence to corroborate his statements during questioning on Tuesday.

Further probe into the case was initiated by the Crime Branch with the permission of Kerala High Court following a disclosure by Balachandrakumar that the actor had conspired to harm the police officials probing the 2017 actor abduction case.

According to source, the questioning was centered around the possible evidence that the probe team is reported to have gathered from his and his close aides' mobile phones that were surrendered for scientific examination on the court's orders.

Earlier, the High Court had refused to suspend the further probe in the case, later nixing a stay sought by the actor into the probe. As per the court direction, the further probe in the case must conclude by April 15.

Dileep suffered a rude jolt late last year when Balachandrakumar claimed that the actor had conspired to eliminate police officials who had investigated the 2017 actor abduction case in which he is the main accused and presently out on bail.

The actor's counsel, however, have been arguing that the fresh disclosure were cooked up by the prosecution to book the actor and to fabricate evidence against him after the probe agency failed to find any concrete evidence against Dileep in the abduction case.

A frontline south Indian heroine had complained of being abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of goons in 2017. Certain scenes were filmed to blackmail her. After main accused Sunil was arrested and questioned, Dileep was accused of being the main conspirator in the case and arrested.

According to the prosecution, Dileep, who is presently out on bail after spending two months in jail, had also seen the visuals of the attack on the actor.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.