KOCHI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducting further investigation into the actor abduction and rape case on Monday questioned film star Dileep for over seven hours. Following a notice asking him to appear for questioning, Dileep appeared at Aluva Police Club at around 11.20 am.
A team under ADGP S Sreejith questioned Dileep till 6:45 pm. The questioning will continue on Tuesday.
Crime Branch SP MJ Sojan and Baiju Paulose, the investigation officer of the sensational case, were also present during the interrogation. The investigation team had collected evidence against Dileep that he allegedly received visuals of sexual assault on the victim. The further investigation was launched based on the revelations of director P Balachandrakumar that Dileep and five others viewed the sexual assault visuals after he was released from jail in 2017.
As part of the probe, the investigation team collected evidence from the mobile phones used by Dileep, his relatives, and friends. The probe team also collected statements of a few fresh witnesses against Dileep.
The Kerala High Court had earlier asked the investigation team to complete the further investigation before April 14. It was in January this year that further investigation was launched based on the revelation of Balachandrakumar. The further investigation was initiated when the Additional Special Sessions Court was all set to complete the examination of the witness as part of the trial.
In February 2017, a leading actor travelling from Thrissur to Ernakulam was abducted and raped in a moving car. Dileep is the eighth accused in the case.