Major developments have rocked the Malayalam film industry since Monday. The Kerala police have filed a remand report in court against actor Dileep for his alleged involvement in the abduction and sexual assault of a popular Malayalam actor.
But why exactly have the police arrested Dileep now? What is the evidence on which they are basing this arrest?
TNM has accessed a copy of the remand report and this is what it says.
1. Dileep and Pulsar Suni knew each other
Ever since Dileep’s name has been linked to the crime, the actor has denied knowing Pulsar Suni, who is accused number one in the case. But the remand report reveals that they knew each other from before.
2. They met several times in the period leading up to the crime
In fact, the report says that Dileep and Pulsar Suni met several times between March 2013 and November 2016, at various places. They met at Abad Plaza in Kochi in March and April of 2013, and later at Thoppumpady Junction, Thrissur tennis club and Thodupuzha Santhigiri college. All these were shooting locations for Dileep. The two met in these places and hatched the plan to execute the crime says the police.
3. She should be identifiable in the video, Dileep said
The remand report says that the woman actor was responsible for the souring relationship and eventual separation between Dileep and his former wife Manju Warrier, which led Dileep to conspire against the actor out of vengeance.
Dileep allegedly said that because it is easy to morph videos these days, the men who assault her should ensure that the actor is clearly identifiable in the video.
4. The videos of the assault and the price quotation
Dileep, alleged the police, had told Pulsar Suni to take nude videos of the Malayalam actor and give it to him. And for this, he offered a payment of Rs 2 crore.
The report says that the police are still investigating whether Pulsar Suni dropped off the videos to Kavya Madhavan’s clothing store, Lakshya.
5. Dileep delayed filing a complaint against Pulsar Suni
After the crime was committed, Dileep failed to make the payment, says the remand report. And soon after the actor filed a police complaint, Pulsar Suni was arrested. However, Pulsar Suni continued to make phone calls to Dileep's driver Appunni and his friend Nadirsha demanding his due.
However, Dileep was not responding. The remand report says that Pulsar Suni even called Dileep’s manager on April 21, 2017, the phone records of which are in possession of the police. Both Nadirshah and the driver informed Dileep that Pulsar Suni was calling.
They were perhaps unaware of Dileep’s role in the criminal conspiracy, though the remand report does not go into detail.
Pulsar Suni even convinced two of his jail mates (accused number 9 and 10 in the case) to send a letter to Dileep. The letter was given to Dileep’s brother as Dileep was not at home.
Dileep, however, continued to avoid Pulsar Suni’s calls. It is possible that he did not want to be seen associated with Pulsar Suni after he was accused in the abduction and sexual assault case, which they didn’t believe the actor would file when they planned the crime.
6. The alleged ‘blackmail’
The remand report suggests that had Dileep not known Pulsar Suni, he would not have kept quiet for so long. It was only after 20 days of Pulsar Suni calling his friends that he approached the police.
Meanwhile, when Pulsar Suni was produced in the court on April 18, he gave the letter he wrote to Dileep through another accused. In the letter, Pulsar Suni demanded the payment for the crime. The report says that Dileep later turned it around to say he was being blackmailed.
(Written by Geetika Mantri)