Kochi, Kerala: Women in Cinema Collective, an organisation working for women in the Malayalam cinema industry, has sought action from the law enforcement agencies in Kerala on the recent statements made by director Balachandra Kumar against accused actor Dileep in the 2017 case of a Kerala actor’s kidnapping and sexual assault case, which is currently under trial.
Balachandra Kumar had on November 25 filed a complaint with the Chief Minister’s Office in Kerala, making scathing allegations against Dileep, stating that he was an eye witness to key accused Pulsar Sunni being seen at accused Actor Dileep’s house. The complainant also alleges that Dileep had seen a video recording of the sexual assault of the kidnapped actress along with a group of others and has also provided excerpts of recorded audio conversations at Dileep’s house, including alleged attempts to influence key witnesses.
The prosecution on Wednesday moved the court seeking further probe into the case based on the scathing allegations and revelations by Balachandra Kumar.
Mr Kumar has also alleged that he was asked repeatedly not to mention seeing Pulsar Sunni with Dileep. In the complaint to the Chief Minister’s office, the complainant has sought police protection for his life’s safety and that of his family. A month since the complaint to Chief Minister’s office, Balachandra Kumar took to speaking to the media.
A woman actor was allegedly kidnapped and sexually abused while travelling to Kochi for work in February 2017. The crime was allegedly also filmed by the accused. Malayalam movie star Dileep, the eighth accused in the case, was arrested in July 2017 and released two months later on bail.
He was charged with conspiracy to abduct and molest the actress inside her car.
“Is the law-and-order machinery of our state looking into this key testimony from Mr Balachandra Kumar which has come out in the media recently? Do the actions alleged in the interview, amount to illegal actions like bribery and/or intimidation of crucial witnesses?” Women In Cinema Collective’s recent statement states.Questioning the lack of mainstream media attention to the statements of the director, the collective also stated, “Time and again, in this excruciating fight for justice, many such questions need to be asked and answered to learn the truth.” The statement also seeks for police protection to be granted to the director based on the request he has made and signs off with the hashtag “#Avalkoppam” – translated as “with her”.
