In another development in the Kerala actor assault case, one more accused has turned approver in the case. The Additional Special (CBI 3) Sessions Court in Ernakulam granted the request of tenth accused Vishnu to turn an approver, making him the second approver in the case, on Tuesday. According to the prosecution, it was Vishnu who had allegedly arranged a mobile phone and SIM for first accused Pulsar Suni, while he was lodged at the District Jail in Kakkanad. It was from this phone call that Pulsar Suni allegedly contacted ‘associates’ of actor Dileep, who is accused of masterminding the crime, from prison.
The confiscation of the phone and call details was an important turning point in the case that led to the arrest of actor Dileep. Vishnu, who was imprisoned in another case, was a fellow prisoner of Pulsar Suni. It was also alleged that Vipin Lal, who turned approver before, while in prison had written a letter to Dileep and it was Vishnu who helped to transmit it. This letter was confiscated by the investigation agency from Vishnu earlier.
Recently Vishnu had filed a plea in court stating that he would turn approver. The plea was considered and granted by the court on Tuesday.
The sensational case pertaining to the abduction and sexual assault of a leading woman actor in Kerala, had named ten accused in the case when the trial started, with Dileep being the eighth accused. With Vishnu turning an approver, the case will again have nine accused.
Vipin Lal, who turned approver before, had months ago come out alleging that he and his family had been threatened allegedly by Dileep to change his statement. Pradeep Kottathala, office Secretary of MLA and actor Ganesh Kumar, was arrested recently following one such similar complaint. While actor Dileep was in jail in 2017 after being arrested, Pradeep Kottathala along with Ganesh Kumar had visited him multiple times in prison.
Meanwhile, the trial court moved the prosecution plea to cancel Dileep's bail, for allegedly trying to threaten approver, to be considered later on another date.