Kochi, Feb 2 (Bureau) The Crime Branch on Wednesday filed an application before the Aluva Magistrate Court seeking permission to send the mobile phones of Malayalam actor Dileep to the Forensic Lab in Thiruvananthapuram. Earlier, all the six mobile phones of actor Dileep and the other accused in connection with a new case registered against the actor for allegedly threatening investigation officials probing the 2017 actress sexual assault case, were handed over to the High Court Registrar General in a sealed cover on Monday.
Later, the Registrar General sent all the mobile phones to the Aluva Magistrate Court following the direction from the High Court on Tuesday. However, the Crime Branch sought the custody of them. But, the actor moved against the Crime Branch demand, alleging that it will manipulate the evidence as the Forensic Lab is part of the State Crime Branch. Earlier, all the six mobile phones — three used by actor Dileep, two by his brother Anoop and another by his brother-inlaw, Suraj — were handed over to the High Court Registrar General. On Sunday, the actors’ mobile phones, sent to Mumbai for forensic examination, were brought back to Kochi as per the Court’s direction to submit it before the Registrar General.
Though the actor sought three days time to surrender the mobile phones, the court rejected his plea and allowed only two days time. The actor was hesitant to surrender his mobile phones claiming that it had private conversations with his former wife and the advocate. On Saturday, the Kerala High Court (HC) directed the actor to handover his mobile phones to the Registrar General in a sealed cover by 1015 hours on Monday. 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 submit their mobile phones requested by the Crime Branch for the forensic examination. Dileep’s counsel Advocate B Raman Pillai also opposed handing over the mobile phones to the forensic lab.
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 figured as the fist accused in the threatening case. The actor’s brother Anoop and his brother-in-law Sooraj have also approached the HC for the 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, actor 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.