Actress Assault Case: HC Directs Dileep To Surrender His Mobile Phones

Kochi, Jan 29: Kerala High Court on Saturday directed Malayalam actor Dileep to surrender his mobile phones to the Registrar General in a sealed cover by 1015 hours on Monday in connection with a new case registered against him for allegedly threatening investigation officials probing the 2017 actress assault case Justice P Gopinath, while hearing the Crime Branch plea to recover the mobile phones from the actor and the other accused persons in the case, observed that the forensic examination can be done by an agency approved by the Central Government.

Rejecting the actor’s argument that his mobile phones have been sent to a private forensic agency in Mumbai distrusting the officials investigating the case, the Court directed the actor and other accused to surrender their mobile phones as requested by the Crime Branch for the forensic examination. Dileep’s counsel Advocate B Raman Pillai opposed handing over the mobile phones to the forensic lab, part of the Crime Branch in Kerala. Earlier, besides Dileep, his brother Anoop, brother-in-law TN Sooraj, relative Appu, friend Baiju Chengamanad and Aluva native Sarath were questioned by the Crime Branch for three days.

The actor was named as the first accused in the threatening case. Dileep’s brother Anoop and his brother-in-law Sooraj have approached the HC for anticipatory bail. The non-bailable case was filed on the basis of a audio clip, in which they allegedly threatened the officials, and a statement by Director Balachandra Kumar. In his anticipatory bail, Dileep claimed that he had not threatened the officials and the latter hatched a conspiracy against him, He said the case against him was on the basis of fabricated evidence. Earlier, the High Court adjourned till February 2 the hearing on the anticipatory bail plea moved by the actor.