The Crime Branch (CB) probing the female actor assault case and another recently registered one for allegedly planning to endanger police officers associated with the investigation of the former case cranked up the pressure on actor Dileep, who stands accused in both the cases, by conducting surprise raids at three places, including at his house, simultaneously on Thursday.The CB split into three teams raided the house of Dileep at Aluva, his brother Anoop’s house at Thottakattukara, and at his production company, Grand Productions.Documentary and digital evidences were reportedly seized during the marathon raid, which lasted hours and ended late into night.Members of both the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by ADGP S. Sreejith, probing the actor assault case, and the team led by Superintendent M.P. Mohanachandran Nair, investigating the alleged conspiracy against police officers, participated in the raids conducted with the permission of the court.The members of the team that reached Dileep’s house scaled the gate, which was locked before the actor’s sister let them in into the house. Dileep was initially not at the home but reached there later as the raid was progressing. Curious onlookers also assembled before the gate.
Significant move
The raid at his home assumes significance in the wake of the recent statements by director Balanchandrakumar, the friend-turned-foe of the actor, in a media interview that Dileep had got a copy of the video of the sexual assault of the actor and that he was invited to watch it. He had also claimed to have seen ‘Pulsar’ Suni, the key accused in the actor assault case, at Dileep’s residence.“We haven’t yet come across the said video clip and would continue to search for it. We also hope to collect some forensic evidence during the course of the raid,” said sources associated with the investigation.Anoop was among the six accused, including Dileep and an unidentifiable person, in the First Information Report registered by the CB last Sunday for conspiring to endanger police officers associated with the investigation of the actor assault case. The case was registered on a petition of DySP Baiju Paulose, the investigation officer of the actor assault case.The raid comes a day before the High Court is set to hear the anticipatory bail plea of Dileep field in the wake of the latest case, which was registered based on statements and the audio clip submitted by Mr. Balachandrankumar about the alleged conspiracy.
His statement was recorded before the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court under CrPC 164 on Wednesday. Balachandrakumar had since then claimed that more people from the film industry will come forward to depose against Dileep.
SIT is expected to submit a report based on the probe into the fresh revelations of Mr. Balachandrankumar before the Ernakulam Additional Special Sessions Judge on January 20 when the case is about to come up for hearing next.
