Kochi, Jan 30 (Agency) Malayalam Actor Dileep will surrender his three mobile phones to the Registrar General of Kerala High Court in a sealed cover by 1015 hours on Monday. The actor’s three phones sent to Mumbai for forensic examination will be brought back here this evening. Three mobile phones of other two accused will be surrendered to the Court tomorrow.
On Saturday, High Court Judge P Gopinath directed Dileep and other accused to surrender their mobile phones to the Registrar General in connection with a new case registered against them for allegedly threatening investigation officials probing the 2017 actress sexual assault case. Two phones of actor’s brother Anoop and one phone of his brother-in-law TN Sooraj will be handed over to the court tomorrow, sources said. Though the actor sought three days time to surrender the phones, the court rejected his plea and allowed only two days time.
The actor was hesitant to surrender his phones claiming that it had private conversations with his former wife and the advocate. The Judge, 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 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 phones requested by the Crime Branch for the forensic examination. Dileep’s counsel Advocate B Raman Pillai also opposed handing over the 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 figured as the fist accused in the threatening case. Dileep’s brother Anoop and his brother-in-law Sooraj have 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.