Ernakulam: The Kerala High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to actor Dileep and the other five accused in a conspiracy case. A bench headed by Justice Gopinath granted the bail. The other accused in the case is Dileep's brother Anoop, brother-in-law TN Suraj, relative Appu, friends Baiju Chengamanad and Sharath.
Bail conditions:
- Defendants must submit their passports to the court.
- Two lakh rupees and two sureties of an equal amount.
- The defendants should cooperate with the investigation and not influence witnesses or interfere with the investigation.
The High Court completed the hearing of both the accused and the prosecution on Friday. Dileep's lawyer argued in court that the officers conspired to trap Dileep and that the audio recordings produced by the prosecution were recorded using mimicry artists. Responding to this, the prosecution asked the court to consider the nature and seriousness of the crime.
Crime Branch of Kerala Police registered the case against Dileep and five others on January 9 for allegedly threatening the investigating officials probing the 2017 actress assault case. Director Balachandran turned witness to allege that Dileep and others had plans to harm Crime Branch DYSP Baijiu Paulose and others. He had also submitted audio proof which he had discreetly recorded while in the company of the actor.
Dileep is named as the first accused in the FIR. Anoop, who is Dileep's brother, and Suraj, Dileep's brother-in-law, are the second and third accused. Appu, Babu Chengamanad and Sharath are the other accused.
Dileep is also the eighth accused in the actress assault case for alleged conspiracy. The case pertains that an actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu films was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017.
