It has been no secret that Malayalam actor Dileep and the actor who was recently abducted in Kochi had a major fallout few years ago.
And that discord between the two perhaps lead to a flurry of stories hinting at the possibility of the ‘involvement of a top actor’ in the abduction case. Most prominent media organisations in Kerala hinted this, and though Dileep’s name was never directly taken, the insinuation was evident to readers.
On Tuesday, there were also reports that the investigators had questioned Dileep.
With the speculations showing no sign of ending, the actor took to Facebook to put his version out.
“This was an incident which we never thought would happen in the Malayalam film industry. Over the last few days, AMMA (actors’ association) and the industry as a whole had condemned the assault on our colleague. But, many digital media organisations and few newspapers have been targeting me over the incident. They have cooked up stories revolving around me, with or without taking my name,” Dileep said.
The actor then wrote about a news story that many media houses carried regarding the investigation.
“Some newspapers said on Wednesday that the ‘police had questioned a prominent actor from Aluva’. For those people who may believe such news items that are merely smokescreens, let me assure them that this is not true. As an actor who permanently resides in Aluva, I can say that the actor mentioned in news reports was not me. Neither have the police come to my house, nor have they contacted me via phone. I can also tell you that the police have not questioned any actor living in Aluva. The onus is now on these media houses to prove the authenticity of the story,” Dileep wrote on Facebook.
He also added that he understands the value of family relationship.
“I know the value of family relationships. I am an average person with a mother, daughter and wife. The truth of this matter should come out; the culprits should be caught and punished. This is something that the society wants and I personally want,” he wrote.
Recently, Dileep had spearheaded a new organisation of theatre owners to put an end to the frequent theatre strikes called by the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation. Hinting at this the actor said he was being targeted for creating the new organisation.
“The incident (abduction and assault of the actor) has caused shame and pain to the Malayalam film industry. I have no contacts directly or indirectly with any of the accused in the case, “he wrote.
Dileep concluded his FB post urging authorities to investigate the case and ensure swift punishment to the culprits.