Kerala HC Defers Actor Dileep's Anticipatory Bail Hearing to Thursday

The case pertains to the 'conspiracy' of doing away with the investigating officers in the actress abduction case.

Actor Dileep’s anticipatory bail hearing posted to Thursday.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday, 1 February, deferred actor Dileep's anticipatory bail plea hearing to Thursday, 3 February, in a case pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to do away with the investigating officers in the actress abduction case.

It also directed that the six mobile phones used by the actor and his close aides, which were given to the registry of the court on Monday, be handed over to the local magistrate court at Aluva, where the FIR is registered.

The Malayalam actor is alleged to have conspired to do away with the investigating officers in the actress abduction case.

While the prosecution sought the custody of the phones, it was strongly opposed by the counsel of the actor, and the court then decided to hand it over to the lower court.

Alleging that the actor was not cooperating with the probe, the prosecution sought the custody of Dileep and his aides.

The Fine Details of the Conspiracy

Last week, the prosecution had argued that there were seven mobile phones – four used by Dileep, two by his brother Anoop, and one used by his brother-in-law. After Dileep denied having the fourth phone, the court asked him to submit six mobile phones.

The prosecution pointed out that around 12,000 calls had been made from the mobile phone which was still not handed over, adding that it was in use until a few months ago and yet the actor stated that he did not remember using such a phone.

The probe team had, last week, moved a fresh application, claiming that the actor had conspired to do away with the officials probing the case, and this came after Dileep, Anoop, brother-in-law Sooraj, aide Appu alias Krishnadas, and his close friend Byju Chengamanad were interrogated for 33 hours over a period of three days.

The Original Sexual Assault Case

A front-line south Indian actress had complained that she had been abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of goons in 2017 and certain scenes were filmed to blackmail her. After the main accused Sunil was arrested and questioned, Dileep was accused of being the main conspirator in the case and was thereafter 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 actress.