Kochi: The Ernakulam First-Class Judicial Magistrate Court-2 on Wednesday recorded the confidential statement of Malayalam film director Balachandrakumar in connection with the 2017 actor attack case.
The film director has reportedly made significant revelations against actor Dileep which is likely to put the actor in further trouble. He is the eighth accused in the case pertaining to the abduction and sexual assault of a popular young actress in early 2017 by a gang led by Pulsar Suni, the accused number one.
The recording of the confidential statement of the film director was a lengthy affair. It began at 1.30 pm at the closed chamber of the magistrate and lasted until 7.30 pm.
Balachandrakumar likely deposed that there was an attempt on the part of the accused to secure the bail of Pulsar Suni and then finish him off in order to destroy evidence in the case.
On Tuesday Balachandran gave his statement at the Crime Branch's office too. Thereafter, he said he had handed over 20 digital evidences to the probe team supporting his claims.
Though the trial in the case is almost over, the Crime Branch is reinvestigating the case on the basis of the legal advice that the statement of a person who was so close to Dileep cannot be ignored.
The trial court will consider on January 20 the plea of the prosecution for temporarily halting the trial so as to enable the Crime Branch to carry out reinvestigation.
The petition of the prosecution seeking extension of the trial in the case for another six months for examining fresh pieces of evidence and conducting reinvestigation is already pending with the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the police could not retrieve from the jailroom of Pulsar Suni the original letter purportedly written by Suni, claiming threat to his life in the jail, and handed over to his mother at the portico of the jail.
The case has acquired a new dimension with the recent disclosure of Balachandrakumar that the accused actor Dileep conspired to endanger a couple of investigating officers. A new case was registered in this regard recently. Balachandrakumar has told the Crime Branch officers probing this case that Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan and his brother Anoop were aware of the crime.
SUSPENSE CONTINUES OVER 'VIP'
Suspense still continues over the identity of the "VIP" in the case even after the confidential statement of Balachandrakumar was recorded by the magistrate.
Balachandrakumar gave a statement that when the "VIP" entered the house of Dileep in his presence, the son of a close relative of the actor called him "Sarath uncle".
But the police inquiry team's assessment is that this is not the real name of the "VIP" and the child might have heard it wrong. The police also feel that Balachandrakumar is not revealing the name of the politically influential "VIP" ostensibly due to fear.
Meanwhile, the film director said that he had given in his statement all information about his relationship with Dileep from the time of their first meeting.
He reiterated that he continued to face life threats from the side of the accused. He added that more witnesses from the cinema field would depose before the court.
