Sreelekha IPS drops a bombshell: 'Dileep is innocent in actor assault case'

Former DGP R Sreelekha IPS has made a set of revelations in the actor assault case claiming Dileep is innocent.

The retired top cop went through various phases of the case – that was lodged in 2017 when she was the Director General of Prisons – in a video in her YouTube channel, 'Sasneham Sreelekha' (Sreelekha, with love) on Sunday that was titled 'Dileep innocent in Assault Case?'.

"I'm 100% certain that Dileep is not involved in this case. I don't believe that knowingly or unknowingly he has any role in it," Sreelekha said at the end of her 40-minute video.

Even as she expressed her faith in the police system that she was part of, Sreelekha said the investigators committed an error by dragging Dileep into the case and were unwilling to accept it.

"Even now I don't want to believe that this is a fabricated case because I have faith in the police.

"But if they commit a mistake, I don't know why can't they admit it? If the police says 'Ok, under the pressure we had to arrest him, but now there is no sufficient evidence', the respect for police would only go up. Why is the police so adamant?

"I said this because the public should know that I think the man has suffered the maximum he can."

Sreelekha has claimed that Dileep was dragged into the case because his enemies were more powerful.

“If we think logically, all this would appear silly,” said Sreelekha, the first lady IPS officer of Kerala.

 

Read the transcript of her video message:
... I knew all this because I worked 12 years in Ernakulam, as DIG in range and IG in central zone. Many from the cinema field had approached me. A few female actors I knew well had told me that this person (Pulsar Suni) had befriended them, became their driver, abducted them, shot their videos and blackmailed them.

To a few of them I was a bit upset as they were unwilling to file a police complaint for fear of ruining their career. They told me that they settled the issue by paying him. As I knew this was his character, when I heard that this lady had to suffer this I had no doubt then or now.

I had no doubt then because barring a few, the others were history-sheeters, especially Pulsar Suni, who had a bad background.

Four persons were arrested and in a few days, the police investigated thoroughly. The main accused, Pulsar Suni and another, I think Vijeesh, were not caught. When they are dragged away by the police later, I was so happy. I had 100% faith in the investigation.

The case was solved, they were jailed and the police kept them in custody for two weeks. If a person had made them do it, in the two weeks they were in custody, they would have revealed everything. Anyone who has worked even a day in the force, would know that any accused taken away in the manner would spill it if that was a quotation or forced by someone else. But this person did not say it.

I doubt if these guys are a quotation gang because their past crimes were all for making money by themselves using blackmail. No one had used them for a quotation before.

After three months, a news comes in a paper that there is a conspiracy in the case. I didn't find it weird because it was possible. But then it was said that one of the accused was a friend of Dileep's friend Nadirshah. But you can't make calls from inside the jail because it is closely monitored.

As prisons head I enquired about the context. Later, I saw a co-prisoner tell a media casually that he had got the phone when presented in court. He said he had smuggled the phone by hiding inside his slipper. That cannot be believed because a phone can't be fit in a slipper.

Later from CCTV footage, it was found that he had a phone inside prison. I asked Pulsar Suni personally and he only spoke lies.

After a few days when we questioned him, we learned something startling. A policeman had entered the prison gate when the accused were brought from court. He was being told not to enter, but he pleaded it was something important and spoke to Suni and it appeared like he was handing over something to Suni. We then assumed it was the policeman who gave him the phone. Later, I read in the papers that this phone was retrieved from a co-accused house in Pathanamthitta.

Why am I saying all this now you may wonder. When in service, you are not allowed to say such things, there is a statute. I had raised objections about various things but on those occasions I was snubbed and made to sit.

After four months, in April, it emerged that Pulsar Suni wrote to Dileep from jail. The letter can be found on the internet now. It was not his handwriting, Pulsar Suni himself said it was written by his co-accused Vipinlal.

Each cell has a sort of leader called Mesthri, and Vipinlal was one. He had access to the superintendent's room. Usually, prisoners are not given stationery beforehand, when a request is made they are made to write it in public and read before allowed to post.

If I remember well the seal on Suni's letter was April, 2017. It wasn't signed by Sunil but in it many things were said, that wasn't I promised money, in installments. Urgently I need Rs 300 as money order.

The rumour then was that he was given a quotation in 2012 or 2013 for Rs 1.5 crore. It was said he was paid Rs 10,000 in advance and the amount was sourced to his mother's Kudumbashree. But there were so many unanswered things. It was funny that a person who was given a quotation for Rs 1.5 crore would ask Rs 300 for something. Vipinlal later said he was forced to write it by policemen.

When such things happen, it is not possible to just simply arrest an actor, right?

In a meeting of the actors' association condoling the incident, someone raised suspicion of a conspiracy. Suddenly, through the media the name of actor Dileep was heard.

This is easily achieveable if you influence the media. Just 1-2 media or less than 10% is enough. If a few people in the media are convinced and told stories a vested interest would take form. Once that begins, it cannot be stopped. It happens a lot and we know it.

The media now is not independent, they are controlled, either by political parties or influential people who can control our minds and divert our interests.

If these media is used to put across well-written news in a confident manner, anyone would believe. Those who are ignorant would accept it readily.

Now I'm hearing that there are 10 accused in the case.

I remember well the phase when it came out that Dileep was involved. I couldn't believe it then.

There were issues in his personal life, many were envious of his rapid rise and there was enmity from a few powerful people. So I felt it was natural when his name came up.

But without saying a word for 2-3 months suddenly he (Pulsar Suni) gave the name. I had my suspicions.

Due to pressure from the media, I think, he (Dileep) was summoned. He was let off after hours of questioning when nothing was found. Then it became a controversy.

When such a case comes up, the media would put pressure in such a way as to get someone turned into an accused.

On top of it, the pressure from politicians and the public. I have seen it all. Even in my case, there was a news that a vigilance case must be filed against me. Many believed, perhaps even my family might have believed.

At that time the Vigilance Director was someone I had a lot of faith in, whom I believed would not commit a mistake. When I met him and told my version even he said the media wouldn't say anything just like that and a case would be filed. I was shocked that even he believed the things reported in media.

Will the police do such things to someone like Dileep, who is influential and rich? Will he be jailed for 85 days in such a case? If these questions are raised, it has been understood that if the rival is that powerful, it is possible.

I knew none of this then, all this I learnt later.

When Dileep was summoned a second time, questioned for 12-13 hours and arrested, I thought, like everyone else that maybe he has some role in it because it was not my case and I don't poke my nose in others' cases.

Then there were stories that he is getting VIP treatment in jail, special cot, special food and all. Even then I was dragged into it and questioned. So, I made a surprise visit to the jail.

Then I expressed my doubt, I told my senior that something was out of place.

There was a photograph of Pulsar Suni with Dileep taken during a shooting. It was widely circulated and an investigator told me it was proof. I told him then that it was clear the image was photoshopped. Then he admitted and said, 'Sreelekha you are right, it is photoshopped'. I was shocked.

Tower location was another thing. It was from a meeting at hotel Abad where many actors and their associates were present. That the tower location of two people was the same is not at all an evidence. Even the court did not treat it as an evidence.

There is no proof that they met.

Six accused in the case should have been let off long back. It is a pity that even now they are stuck. One guy is still in prison because of some other case.

Instead of providing punishment to those who committed the crime, a man is dragged in saying he is involved, and evidence after evidence is created to harass him. When I see all this, I wonder isn't the police becoming a laughing stock?

During trial when it is heard 'turned hostile', 'turned hostile' people are made to believe that it was out of influence.

When a witnesses' statement is taken, it is unsigned because as per the Evidence Act no witness can turn a witness against himself. Police officers write it, and the investigating officer signs it. He can write however he pleases. Often the witness is made to say it was their statement. But if the witness says that what was written is wrong, he is not turning hostile, he is saying what was written is untrue. It cannot be considered perjury legally.

When the case came to its conclusion in 2022, as it emerged that there was no evidence to punish Dileep, out of the blue another case emerges. Suddenly some other person no one had heard of comes up with a case, a conspiracy.

A few figments of evidence taken from here and there are projected as evidence. I don't know for how long the public can be deceived.

Hash value is an algorithm and it can change for various reasons. Why was it send again for forensic examination needs to be explained. When the visuals on the memory card are given to forensic for reexamination if someone plugs it into a system its hash value can change.

Even now I don't want to believe that this is a fabricated case because I have faith in the police.

But if they commit a mistake, I don't know why can't they admit it? If the police says 'Ok, under the pressure we had to arrest him, but now there is no sufficient evidence', the respect for police would only go up. Why is the police so adamant?

I said this because the public should know that I think the man has suffered the maximum he can. I'm saying this now because many asked me about it.

I'm 100% certain that Dileep is not involved in this case. I don't believe that knowingly or unknowingly he has any role in it.

Do you think his second child that is five years now has had any peace because this case is from before it was born. When I imagine all that I feel bad.

If I don't say the things I saw and understood while I was Jail DGP, it won't be right. It will be an injustice if I don't say it at least now. This is not to influence the case or to save anybody or after taking a bribe from somebody. I have no enmity toward anyone either.