Malayalam film actor Dileep has applied for anticipatory bail from the Kerala high court after the Kochi crime branch registered a new FIR against him, alleging conspiracy to kill police officers involved in the investigation of a rape case against him. Dileep’s brother, P. Sivakumar, and brother-in-law, T.N. Suraj, have also sought anticipatory bails in the case registered on the basis of the revelations made recently by film director Balachandrakumar.
The court recorded the director’s confidential statement after audio recordings, which allegedly reveal an effort to sabotage the investigation and obstruct the trial in the rape case, were leaked out. Dileep and five others were booked for abetment, concealing design to commit offence, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, and common intention, in the FIR registered after the revelations were made by Balachandrakumar.
Meanwhile, the young actress targeted in the 2017 abduction and sexual assault case involving Dileep has opened up about her trauma, on social media for the first time in five years. She recently termed it the culmination of her journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor. “Though I am not the one who has committed the crime, there have been many attempts to humiliate, silence and isolate me,” she wrote on Instagram, adding, “But at such times, I have had some who stepped forward to keep my voice alive. This has not been an easy journey… For 5 years now, my name and my identity have been suppressed under the weight of the assault inflicted on me.”
Saying that she would continue her quest for justice, she remarked, “Now when I hear so many voices speak up for me, I know that I am not alone in this fight for justice.” Several Malayalam film actors shared her post on their social media handles to express solidarity with her.