Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered that the mobile phones surrendered by Malayalam actor Dileep and other accused in a case allegedly threatening the investigation officials probing the 2017 actress assault case shall be handed over to the Jurisdictional Magistrate Court at Aluva.
On Monday, the accused surrendered their six mobile phones to the registrar general of the high court.
Single Bench of Justice P Gopinath further ordered, "receipt to be issued by the Jurisdictional Magistrate Court on receiving the mobile phones accordingly. Counsel of the petitioner undertakes to provide with unlocking pattern or a number of the phones. Jurisdictional Magistrate Court to decide whether the phones should be sent for forensic examination, if so, to which agency."
The prosecution sought the high court to hand over the mobile phones to the Crime Branch of Kerala Police who is probing the case. But the accused's counsel opposed it.
The court will further hear this matter tomorrow.
Accused's counsel also said that "we are also filing a petition for CBI investigation. What sort of case is this? A Crime Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police is fabricating a case."
Crime Branch of Kerala Police registered the case against Dileep and five others on January 9 for allegedly threatening the investigating officials probing the 2017 actress assault case.
Dileep is named as the first accused in the FIR. Anoop, who is Dileep's brother, and Suraj, Dileep's brother-in-law, are the second and third accused. Appu, Babu Chengamanad are the other accused. One more accused has not been identified yet.
Dileep is also the eighth accused in the actress assault case for alleged conspiracy. The case pertains that an actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu films was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017.
( With inputs from ANI )
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