[BREAKING] Dileep granted anticipatory bail by Kerala High Court in conspiracy case

The Kerala High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Malayalam cine actor Dileep in the case of alleged conspiracy to kill police officers investigating the 2017 actress sexual assault case against him [P Gopalakrishnan alias Dileep & Ors. v State of Kerala & Ors.]..The order was passed by Justice Gopinath P. "I have already said that your (prosecution's) apprehensions regarding non-cooperation with the investigation can be addressed by imposing conditions.And if at any point of time you (prosecution) feel that conditions are being violated, you can apply for arresting the accused," the single-judge said after pronouncing the verdict..The order of the Court set the following conditions while granting bail :Each of the Petitioners shall execute separate bonds for sums of ₹1 lakh each with two solvent sureties each for the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court;Petitioners shall appear before the investigating officer in Crime No.6/2022 Crime Branch Police Station as and when summoned to do so; Petitioners shall co-operate with the investigation and make themselves available for interrogation whenever required;Petitioners shall not tamper with any evidence;Petitioners shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any witness acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade them from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer; Petitioners shall surrender their passports before the jurisdictional Court. If the petitioners or any of them do not have passports, they shall execute an affidavit to that effect and file the same before the jurisdictional Court. If the 1st petitioner has already surrendered his passport in the earlier proceedings against him, this condition will not apply to him;Petitioners shall not involve in any other crime while on bail. If any of the aforesaid conditions are violated, the Investigating officer in Crime No.6/2022 of Crime Branch Police Station may file an application before this Court for cancellation of bail..Dileep and his associates were already being tried by at the Additional Sessions (CBI special No III) Court in Ernakulam for allegedly planning and executing a revenge crime against a prominent actress by having her abducted, sexually assaulted and photographed in a moving vehicle.The trial which has seen its share of controversies was nearing completion when a film director Balachandra Kumar gave an interview and released some audio clips indicating close association between Dileep, the 8th accused in the case, and Pulsar Suni, the 1st accused. The clips and Kumar's statements also revealed a conspiracy to kill the police officers who were involved in the investigation.This led to registration of a fresh fresh information report (FIR) against Dileep and five others 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..Dileep, his brother and his brother-in law, represented by Senior Advocate B Raman Pillai and advocates Philip T Varghese, Thomas T Varghese, Achu Shubha Abraham, Litha VT, Monisha KR and Nitya R, approached the Court seeking anticipatory bail..The Court had previously granted them interim anticipatory bail while directing them to appear for 33 hours of interrogation over 3 days as well as to hand over some of their old mobile phones first to the High Court Registry and then to the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Aluva. .The prosecution, led by Director General of Prosecution, Senior Advocate TA Shaji instructed by Senior Public Prosecutor P Narayanan, had vehemently argued that custodial interrogation of the accused would be absolutely essential due to their lack of co-operation and ability to tamper with evidence and manipulate witnesses. .Read a summary of the anticipatory bail hearings here. .[Read Order]