Malayalam actress assault: Police intensifies search for Dileep's manager Appunni

Kochi: With Dileep reportedly refusing to co-operate with the probe into the conspiracy behind the abduction and sexual assault on his past co-star over four months ago, the special investigation team (SIT) is now set to book his absconding personal manager Appunni aka Sunil Raj which they think is crucial to take it forward. According to sources, the cops have intensified search for Appunni who had gone into hiding a couple of days back after the SIT summoned him for another round of interrogation.

They said his mobile tower locations revealed he was present near the places where the conspiracy was hatched along with Dileep and Suni. Even if he had no direct role in the plot, the SIT had evidence of his attempt at a compromise with main accused Pulsar Suni over the quotation amount besides destroying evidence. The police also gathered evidence of Appunni meeting Vishnu, Suni’s one-time co-prisoner, at Eloor to reach a “settlement” post leakage of the letter written at the behest of Suni addressing Dileep.

Meanwhile, the cops on Friday evening carried out a search at the house of Dileep in Aluva to trace original memory card in which the February 17 molestation was recorded. They suspect that Suni had handed over the same to Mr Chacko who in-turn gave it to Dileep. The cops are also probing whether any money was paid to Suni by Dileep out of the Rs 1.5 crore promised. They questioned his relatives and checked their bank accounts. The SIT is again expected to interrogate actor-director Nadirsha in the coming days besides a few leading actors who were present at the hotel in MG Road in 2013 when Dileep and the victim had a public verbal duel.