Five days after an actor was abducted from a busy National Highway and sexually assaulted in a moving car, the police are still groping in dark to trace the key accused in the case.
Official sources said investigators were yet to have a clear idea about the whereabouts of Pulsar Suni, the main accused, and Vijesh, his accomplice, except for an input that the duo could either be in Tamil Ndau or Karnataka. `` Even this assumption is largely based on a statement by Manikandan, who landed in police custody the other day from Palakkad, that Suni had parted ways with him after a drunken brawl at Coimbatore.
Before leaving the state, Suni had pledged his gold chain weighing three sovereigns with a private financial institution in Alappuzha for Rs.10,000. The statement by Manikandan that they escaped to Coimbatore by road evading the police net has put the authorities in a tight spot.
Police teams
Dinendra Kashyap, Inspector General of Police, Crime Branch, who was leading the investigation said teams had been despatched to various districts and also to neighbouring States. “We are yet to ascertain their location because they keep moving from one location to another. Also a few people are being questioned in this connection. But nothing concrete has come out as of now,’’ the officer said.
The police have intensified surveillance on the premises of various judicial courts in Ernakulam and neighbouring districts considering the possibility of Suni surrendering before a magistrate. Besides, searches are also being held in the residences of people having links with him.
The police on Monday night took an unidentified person into custody from an apartment in Kakkanad in connection with the case. The the person, said to be working as a graphic designer had been taken into custody on finding him contacting Suni over phone. He was later released.
Investigations so far have revealed that Manikandan was inside the van driven by Suni, which hit the actor’s car. Besides, he was also present in the car when the sexual assault took place.
The police would be collecting statements from those associated with the upcoming Malayalam movie Honey Bee 2 .
Actor denies charge
Meanwhile, actor Dileep, in a Facebook post on Wednesday denied reports about him being interrogated by the police in connection with the case. Accusing a section of the media for fabricating stories by linking him to the case, the actor demanded stern action against the perpetrators of this gruesome incident.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in Thiruvananthapuram that the police were effectively working to nab the accused. The main accused would be arrested soon.
Regarding the links between members of the film fraternity and goondas, the issue need to be discussed after arresting all the accused in the case, he said.
