Kochi, March 8 (Bureau) Kerala High Court on Tuesday rejected the plea moved by Malayalam actor Dileep seeking to suspend further probe into the fresh case, registered against him and five others for allegedly threatening investigation officials probing the 2017 assault case of an actress. Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Kauser Edappagath ordered the Crime Branch to complete the probe before April 15. Earlier, the actor alleged that the case was a fabricated one with ulterior motives and claimed that there is no evidence to prove the case filed against him on the basis of a statement made by Director Balachandra Kumar. The actor also sought the transfer of the ongoing probe to the CBI. On February 21, the Court allowed the survivor in the 2017 actress assault case to implead in the case in which Malayalam actor Dileep was opposing further probe.
The actress argued that Dileep has no right to demand quashing of re-investigation in the fresh case, registered against him and five others. The actress, who was allegedly sexually assaulted in a moving car in Kochi in 2017, approached the court soon after Dileep was granted anticipatory bail in the case. Dileep also filed a petition seeking quashing of the FIR against them. On February 7, the Court granted anticipatory bail to Dileep and others in the case. Pronouncing the verdict, Justice P Gopinath said the prosecution can apply for arrest if the bail conditions are violated by the accused. Earlier, Justice Gopinath who raised doubts over the legal validity of the case, granted three days to the Crime Branch to interrogate the actor on January 23, 24 and 25, 2022. The Crime Branch team also interrogated the other five accused in the case and submitted a report to the court in a sealed cover. The non-bailable case was filed on the basis of a audio clip allegedly threatening the officials and a statement by Director Balachandra Kumar.