Dileep won't be arrested till Jan 18 hearing of anticipatory bail plea: Prosecution tells Kerala High Court

The prosecution on Friday told the Kerala High Court that Malayalam actor Dileep, accused of conspiring to kill police officers investigating a sexual assault case against him, will not be arrested until January 18 when the anticipatory bail plea filed by the actor and his co-accused is slated for hearing [P Gopalakrishnan alias Dileep & Ors. v State of Kerala & Ors.]..The actor and his associates are already being tried for hatching a conspiracy to take revenge on a female actor in the Malayalam film industry by having her abducted, sexually assaulted and photographed in a moving vehicle. On January 3, the Investigating Officer in the case informed the CBI Special Court that further investigation would be necessary after statements from a film director Balachandra Kumar revealed that he had heard Dileep's statements that indicated his intention to take revenge on the police officers investigating the case.Subsequently, the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police registered a new FIR against Dileep and five others for allegedly threatening the investigation officials.Dileep, his brother P Sivakumar and brother-in-law TN Suraj have been charged for offences punishable under Sections 116 (offering bribe to public servant), 118 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.They then approached the Kerala High Court through through advocates Philip T Varghese, Thomas T Varghese, Achu Shubha Abraham, Litha VT, Monisha KR and Nitya R seeking anticipatory bail..Today, at the anticipatory bail hearing in the fresh case, Justice Gopinath P remarked that it would be beneficial for him to see the contents of the statement made by Kumar before deciding the matter.Senior advocate B Raman Pillai, appearing for Dileep, and Director-General of Prosecution TA Shaji did not oppose the suggestion.When the Court remarked that it intends to pass an interim order granting protection from arrest until the next date of hearing, Shaji assured the Court that no arrests will be made until then. The Court, therefore, decided to not issue any orders today.The matter will be taken up next on January 18..The trial in the assault case has seen its share of ups and downs with Dileep filing transfer petitions first at the Additional Special Sessions Court and then at Kerala High Court. Both Courts had rejected the pleas. The prosecution in the case, led by Special Public Prosecutor A Suresan, had voiced its protest over some allegedly derogatory remarks made by the Additional Sessions Court Judge hearing the assault matter. Suresan resigned in December 2020.In December 2021, Suresan's replacement Special Public Prosecutor Anil Kumar also handed in his resignation.Read more about the history of the assault case and the instant plea for anticipatory bail here .[Breaking] Kerala High Court rejects plea seeking transfer of trial against Dileep in abduction, assault case