The police on Sunday arrested two more persons, Pradeep, a native of Kannur, and Saleem alias Vadival Saleem, a native of Alappuzha, in connection with the abduction and molestation of a popular actor near Nedumbassery on Friday.
They were tracked down with the help of their phone details and taken into custody from their hideout in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
The police suspect that the gang had abducted the actor with the intention of extorting money.
Planned a month ago
According to a senior member of the investigation team, the key accused, Sunil Kumar, alias ‘Pulsar Suni’, had planned the abduction nearly a month ago while he was working in Goa with a film production unit from Kerala.
“Investigation so far suggests that Sunil had hatched a plan to blackmail the actor using her pictures,” he said. Earlier, Martin, the actor’s driver who was arrested on Saturday, told the police that Sunil had offered him a share if he cooperated with the abduction plan.
The police are also investigating whether Suni had received any external help in carrying out the operation.
Official sources said Suni had offered Rs.30 lakh to his gang members, though the information could not be independently verified.
Detained in Coimbatore
The police team that arrested the accused from Coimbatore was headed by Ernakulam Rural Police Superintendent A.V. George.
The arrested persons, former roommates of Sunil, told the interrogators that he had asked them to join the gang at Kalamassery on February 17.
Besides Sunil, the police are also on the lookout for Manikandan, Vijeesh and another unidentified person.
Lookout notice
“They have switched off their cellphones but a police team is after them. We have also issued a lookout notice and ensured that they will not leave the country,” said Yatish Chandra GH, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kochi city.
The police traced the tempo traveller van allegedly used by the accused and had the vehicle examined by forensic experts. The vehicle, owned by a Chalakkaudy native, had been taken on rent by the accused three days before February 17.
Meawhile, Martin Antony was produced before the Kalamassery magistrate on Sunday and was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
