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The delay occurred as the prime witness turned hostile, and the SIT needed to rework the chargesheet. Also, Dileep had filed a written complaint against Behera, before the chief minister, which caused further delay
The abduction and rape of a leading actress in the Malayalam film industry, and the subsequent arrest of Dileep—one of the biggest superstars in Mollywood—has come to a turning point as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will file the chargesheet in two days. Dileep will be named the seventh accused.
"All works related to the chargesheet have been completed, and it will be submitted in the court as soon as possible,'' DGP Loknath Behera told THE WEEK. According to him, the SIT is currently addressing some technical issues. "Apart from that, the chargesheet is ready, and we have solid evidence against the accused,'' he said. Behera said that the SIT had done "good work.''
"There is nothing like a perfect investigation. But I would call this a good investigation,'' he said. When asked about the delay, he said that certain cases were time-consuming. According to sources, the delay occurred as the prime witness turned hostile, and the SIT needed to rework the chargesheet.
Also, Dileep had filed a written complaint against Behera, before the chief minister, which caused further delay. The actor had alleged that the DGP had vested interests in the case and was deliberately trying to target him.
Sources in the know of the matter said that the chargesheet was stronger this time, as the police has gathered enough evidence. "Earlier, there was not enough evidence. But now, that is not the case,'' said the source. According to the police, the fact that Dileep was named the seventh accused did not reduce the gravity of his involvement in the crime.
"It does not make him any less of a culprit. It is just numbering, as six people have already been chargesheeted,'' said the source. According to him, there have been occasions where the 10th accused was found guilty, while the first accused was left free. "The position in the chargesheet means nothing," he said.
The actor was released on bail last month, after 85 days of judicial custody. The Kerala High Court had finally granted him bail after rejecting his plea four times. Dileep was arrested on July 10 this year for his alleged involvement in the actress assault case. He was lodged in Aluva sub-jail, after he was charged for conspiracy.
The abduction, rape and the following arrest of Dileep had shook up the Malayalam film industry like never before. "Malayalam industry will never be the same again,'' actor Sreenivasan had told THE WEEK, when asked about the incident.
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