In a crucial move in the investigation into the 2017 actress assault case, the Kerala police on Tuesday interrogated actor Dileep in the presence of his former friend Balachandra Kumar who emerged as a crucial witness at the final stage of the trial.
Balachandra Kumar was summoned to the Aluva Police Club in the afternoon by a Crime Branch team on the second day of questioning Dileep who is accused of plotting the crime.
The police started further investigation into the sensational crime based on the statements given by Balachandra Kumar who claimed that he was a witness to Dileep watching the visuals of the sexual assault of the survivor actress at his Aluva home.
Balachandra Kumar, who was planning to direct a film with Dileep in the lead role, had also alleged that Dileep, along with his close relatives and friends, had planned to harm the investigation officers who arrested him in 2017. Though the police had registered a fresh case against the actor and attempted to arrest him, the Kerala high court granted him anticipatory bail. Dileep had told the high court that Balachandra Kumar made the allegations against him as an act of revenge as he had backed off the film project the two had discussed. Dileep on Monday reportedly reiterated the statement to the police also. The police apparently decided to question Dileep in the presence of Balachandra Kumar in a move to expose the suspected mismatches in his claims.
The police will submit the details of the interrogation to the high court and further action in the case will be based on the findings from the questioning. Dileep arrived at the Aluva Police Club at 10.30 am for the second consecutive day.
On Monday, the probe team had questioned him for seven hours from 11.30 am to 6.30 pm at the club. During the questioning, Dileep had refuted all the allegations raised by film director Balachandrakumar.
The investigation is led by Crime Branch ADGP S Sreejith, Crime Branch SP M J Sojan and inquiry officer in the actress attack case Baiju M Paulose.
The Crime Branch is also planning to record the statement of the family members of Dileep in the coming days.
Further probe into the case was initiated by the Crime Branch with the permission of Kerala High Court following a disclosure by Balachandrakumar that he saw Dileep, at his 'Padmasarovaram' house in Aluva along with his accomplices, watching the visuals of the actress being sexually assaulted by the assailants. He also claimed that the actor had conspired to harm the police officials probing the 2017 case.
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.
According to source, the questioning was centred 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.
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.
