Kochi: Two Superintendents of Police from the investigation team probing the rape charges against actor Siddique will leave for New Delhi to appear before the Supreme Court during the hearing into the actor's anticipatory bail plea. The apex court will consider Siddique’s plea on Monday.
The state government is being represented by Counsel Nishe Rajan Shanker, while legal advice has also been sought from former Solicitor General Renjith Kumar. The Supreme Court is expected to take up the actor’s bail request either on Monday or Tuesday.
It is learned that Siddique, through his lawyers, has expressed the willingness to surrender if the court rules against him. Currently, the actor’s phone remains switched off.
However, the police have found that individuals linked to a senior lawyer in Kochi have been facilitating hideouts for Siddique. They also received information regarding his movement between at least six locations in Kochi over the past two days.
The delay in arresting Siddique has led to growing criticism, with accusations that the police are intentionally delaying action following directives from higher authorities.
A lookout notice for Siddique has been published in the media across various states. This was based on a suspicion that he might have left Kerala after the High Court dismissed his initial bail plea. Further action, including an arrest, is likely to be taken only after the Supreme Court's ruling on his pre-arrest bail.
Siddique is booked for raping a young woman actor at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. Museum police registered a case against the senior actor after receiving a complaint from the woman.