Malyalam Actor Abduction: Dileep’s Wife to Appear as Key Witness

The charge-sheet has named actor Dileep as the eighth accused in the case.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the high-profile case of a Malayalam actor's abduction and alleged sexual assault on 17 February, submitted its charge-sheet to the Angamaly Magistrate Court on Wednesday, 22 November.

The charge-sheet, which was submitted a little after 3pm to the court, has named actor Dileep as the eighth accused in the case, and has booked him under 17 Sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The police submitted five copies of the charge-sheet to the court.

Dileep was originally named as the 11th accused in the case, and had been charged under 11 Sections, including conspiracy and gang-rape.

In the supplementary charge-sheet that runs into 650 pages, Pulsar Suni still remains the prime accused in the case. Martin, the woman actor's driver, is the second accused in the case. In total, there are 12 accused in the case, of whom two men – Vipin and Aneesh – have turned approvers.

According to reports, there are 355 witnesses in the case. Among these, 50 are from the film industry and actor Manju Warrier, who is also Dileep’s former wife, is the key witness.

The supplementary charge-sheet comes a day after the Kerala High Court allowed Dileep's petition seeking permission to visit Dubai to take part in the inauguration of his restaurant chain, Dhe Puttu. According to reports, the inauguration of the food outlet has been scheduled for November 28 and Dileep has been granted permission to leave the country for four days.

On 17 February, the prominent actor was abducted while traveling in her car from Thrissur to Kochi, and was allegedly sexually assaulted by a gang of men. In the days that followed, most of the accused were arrested by the police. On 23 February, the prime accused, Pulsar Suni, was arrested when he reached the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Ernakulam to surrender.

Rumours connecting actor Dileep to the crime began to surface just days after the crime, and he had consistently been denying any involvement in the case. The first charge-sheet that was filed on 18 April had not looked into the conspiracy angle of the crime.

However, on 10 July, after prolonged questioning, Dileep was arrested. His close confidante and producer Nadhirshah was also subjected to questioning. Dileep was granted bail after 85 days in judicial custody.

(This article was first published on The News Minute and has been republished with permission)