The Bekal police in Kasaragod has summoned M Pradeep Kottathala, office secretary of actor and MLA Ganesh Kumar, in the case against him for allegedly threatening an approver in the actor assault case. Pradeep was directed to depose in the station by a Kerala court while his anticipatory bail plea was considered.
According to The Hindu, though the court has orally directed the police that his arrest should not be registered, he was directed to be present in the station.
It was Congress leader Jyotikumar Chamakala who recently shared screenshots of CCTV visuals showing Pradeep talking to the relatives of Vipin Lal, who was the tenth accused in the case but later turned approver. Vipin Lal, who had given a statement against actor Dileep who is alleged to have masterminded the crime, had been reportedly already facing pressure to change his statements. He had also earlier given a police complaint alleging that he is being threatened to change his statement against Dileep.
The images of CCTV visuals from January 25 this year show Pradeep talking to Vipin Lal's relatives at a shop.
The case pertains to the 2017 sexual assault and abduction of a popular woman actor in Kerala. Actor Dileep is the eighth accused in the case and is alleged to have taken personal grudge against the survivor actor.
Ganesh Kumar MLA was one of the persons who visited Dileep when he was jailed in the case in 2017. He had also come out extending open support to the accused actor Dileep on numerous instances.
Congress leader Jyothikumar, who released the images of Pradeep talking to Vipin Lal's relatives, has also alleged that the approver had been receiving letters and messages threatening him.
Meanwhile, the trial proceedings of the case have been temporarily stayed by the Kerala High Court after the survivor actor and prosecution moved court stating that they don't believe a fair trial will be received in the case. The survivor actor and the state government have alleged discriminatory approach of the trial court judge.