Actor Dileep is out on bail in a 2017 case relating to alleged sexual assault (File)
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court on Saturday restrained police from arresting actor Dileep for allegedly conspiring to kill officials investigating a 2017 sexual assault case in which he is an accused.
Police have been ordered not to arrest Dileep, who is on bail in the sexual assault case, till January 27; last week the court issued similar orders, telling cops they could not arrest him till January 18.
The court has also ordered the actor and other accused in the case to depose before the police for three consecutive days, starting tomorrow, and co-operate with the investigation.
"Any interference with the investigation will be seriously dealt with and the bail order (granted in the sexual assault case) will be cancelled," the court warned Dileep.
Finally, the police was asked to submit a detailed report, in a sealed cover, on January 27.
The court was hearing a pre-arrest bail petition in connection with the alleged threats to officials.
Film director Balachandra Kumar, who recently made startling revelations against Dileep in the assault case, also gave corroborative statements to the Crime Branch.
Last week the Crime Branch wing of Kerala Police raided properties linked to Dileep and his brother in connection with the case about conspiring to kill officials.
The case relating to the conspiracy to kidnap and sexually assault an actor in 2017 is being heard by another court, in connection with which the High Court has allowed re-examination of three witnesses and summoned five others.
The survivor - a woman actor who has worked in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films - was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by some of the accused, who forced their way into her vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017, and later escaped in a busy area.
The entire act was filmed by some of the accused to blackmail her.
There are ten accused in that case, including Dileep.
With input from ANI, PTI