The Crime Branch started questioning actor Kavya Madhavan, wife of actor Dileep, at their residence in Aluva at 12 p.m. on May 9 as part of the effort to wrap up the investigation into the 2017 actor assault case before the May 31 deadline set by the Kerala High Court.
The investigation team is being led by Mohanachandran, Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, and DySP Baiju Poulose.
The Crime Branch had to reach the residence of Ms. Madhavan after she refused to turn up for questioning at the Aluva Police Club despite receiving notice earlier. The investigation team had pointed out that her interrogation as a witness is crucial in the actor assault case.
Ms. Madhavan had insisted on being questioned in the familiar environs of her husband’s house.
Her lawyers reportedly took refuge in Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, according to which women, children and elderly persons roped in as witnesses should be questioned at their residence.
However, the investigation team found it problematic at many levels, not the least because of the fact that Dileep, the eighth accused in the case, lives in the same house.
Logistical issues were also cited as audio-video clips and statements of witnesses would have to be used during the interrogation for which separate arrangements would have to be made.
However, the Crime Branch decided to question the actor at her residence in view of the little time left to complete the probe. The Kerala High Court had set May 31 as the deadline to finish the further investigation in the actor assault case.
The Crime Branch had taken the statement of Manju Warrier, actor and former wife of Dileep, another witness, at a private hotel in Kochi recently.
The actor-survivor was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving car on February 17, 2017. Dileep was arrested in July 2017 and released on bail after being in jail for 85 days. Dileep had been charged with hatching a conspiracy to abduct and sexually assault the actor.
