Kerala HC permits actor Dileep to travel to Dubai

Kochi: The Kerala High Court today allowed Malayalam film actor Dileep, who is out on bail in the South Indian actress assault case, to travel to Dubai for business purposes for four days. Considering his plea, Justice Sunil Thomas directed the release of his passport for six days.

The prosecution strongly opposed the actor’s plea alleging that he tried to influence witnesses in the case. The judge in his order permitted him to travel abroad. Dileep had surrendered his passport as part of obtaining bail in the case.

In his petition, the actor requested the court to return his passport to enable him to travel to Dubai to inaugurate his new restaurant set up there. Dileep was granted bail by the high court on October 3 with stringent conditions, 85 days after his arrest.

The court had directed Dileep, arrested on July 10, to surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount. Besides, he was ordered to appear before investigating officers as and when required.

The police have charged Dileep with hatching a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act. Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, have already been arrested in the case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area here.