Kollam(Kerala): The police arrested Tuesday the office secretary to MLA KB Ganesh Kumar. He was identified as Pradeep Kumar (42). It was alleged that Praddep Kumar was trying to threaten and influence a witness in the actress sexual assault case. In the sexual assault case popular Malayalam actor Dileep is an accused. Pradeep was arrested from his residence at Pathanampuramnear here early Tuesday morning. It came after the witness lodged a complaint with the police.
The arrest comes days after the Kerala High Court declined to transfer the trial in the case from the present court. It had rejected petitions filed by the actress and the state government seeking to transfer the trial. The actress was allegedly sexually assaulted in Kochi in 2017,.
The Kerala Congress (B) MLA’s office in a statement to the media said that Pradeep has been ‘removed’ from the post of office secretary.
A police team from Kasaragod arrived Monday night after a district sessions court there rejected Pradeep’s anticipatory bail application. After completing necessary formalities, he was arrested in the morning. Pradeep and the police personnel are now on their way back to Kasaragod.
The witness has alleged Pradeep tried to threaten and influence him and his family to change the statement in favour of the accused. Meanwhile, another witness Tuesday alleged that he was offered five cents of land and Rs 25 lakh to change his statement in favour of the accused. The second witness has also approached the police alleging his life is in danger.
The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused. The accused Dileep had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. He later escaped in a busy area. The entire act was filmed by the accused to blackmail the actress.
There are 10 accused in the case and initially, police arrested seven people. Actor Dileep was arrested subsequently and let out on bail later.