Kerala high court grants actor Dileep anticipatory bail in murder conspiracy case

A Kerala high court bench headed by justice P Gopinath granted anticipatory bail to actor Dileep and others accused in an alleged criminal conspiracy to murder officers investigating the 2017 abduction and assault of an actress. The court pronounced its order today after two weeks of elaborate hearings.

The actor had applied for anticipatory bail on 10 January 2022 after the Kerala police filed a fresh FIR (first information report) following new revelations about the actor's involvement in allegedly threatening and conspiring to kill the investigating officers in the case.

Hearing of the case of the 2017 abduction and assault of the actress is going on with Dileep being the prime accused.

Earlier this year, director Balachandra Kumar released audio recordings of Dileep and others allegedly conspiring to sabotage the investigation into the case. Following this, the trial court and a magistrate had taken down a confidential statement from the filmmaker. 

The victim also made a public plea demanding the state take action after 'new evidence' appeared. Consequently, Dileep and five others were booked in a fresh case by the crime branch of the Kerala police under non-bailable sections.

To avoid arrest, Dileep and the other accused approached the high court for anticipatory bail. According to the legal website LiveLaw.in, the defence argued that the prosecution was seeking to trap the actor rather than proving the charges against him. The prosecution said Dileep's refusal to submit his mobile phone for investigation indicated he had something to hide.

The actor has moved a separate application to halt any further investigation in the abduction and assault case, which will be heard by a different bench of the high court.