KOCHI: As part of the actor abduction and rape case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has launched a probe into the leaking of the visuals of the assault as alleged by movie director P Balachandrakumar in a television programme recently. The SIT was apprehensive of the possible leaking of the video even before trial in the case started.
Balachandrakumar recently handed over voice clips and messages he had received from a person named Sherif of Aluva but based in London. According to Balachandrakumar, Sherif told him that four persons based in London had the video recording of the incident.
Sherif allegedly told him that he had seen the video and he could show Balachandrakumar the same on the laptop. Balachandrakumar claimed that he refused to see the video but shared the message with the police on Sunday. Earlier, Balachandrakumar alleged that he had seen Dileep watching the video after the latter was released from jail.
“We are checking the real identity of the person who made the calls and claims to Balachandrakumar. If these are true, it is a serious issue indicating that the controversial video was being circulated. This was our fear from the beginning of the probe. We will speak to the person who had made the call and collect all information he has,” an official said. Before the trial commenced, the prosecution had objected to the request submitted by Dileep to get a copy of the video recording citing the victim’s security.
Dileep even approached the Supreme Court for the purpose, but his plea was turned down. However, he was permitted to watch the video inside the court hall for the trial purpose. The visual which the police had was copied by first accused Sunil Kumar, alias Pulsar Suni, from the mobile phone to another memory card.
The police would register a fresh case if the claims about the video leak are found authentic. “We had taken all steps to prevent the leaking of the video. If the information is found true, we would identify the persons who leaked the video and the persons from whom they received it. It is a grave offence,” an official said.
The police will seek the Ernakulam Additional Special Sessions Court’s permission for interrogating Pulsar Suni who is currently lodged in the jail. A petition in this regard would be filed soon. At the same time, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court will record Balachandrakumar’s statement on Tuesday.
Dileep files anticipatory bail plea
Kochi: Actor Dileep on Monday filed a petition at the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a new case registered against him by the crime branch for allegedly conspiring to endanger police officers who were probing the 2017 actor abduction case. The actor’s brother P Sivakumar and brother-in-law T N Suraj, who are also accused in the case, also sought anticipatory bail. Dileep stated that the new FIR is nothing but a retaliatory act of crime branch DySP Baiju Paulose against whom he had initiated criminal contempt proceedings. All allegations in the new FIR are false and baseless. The petitioners apprehend that they will be arrested in the case and the only purpose of the registration of the case is to take them into illegal custody, harass and humiliate them before the public and torture them in custody.