Congress MLA Anwar Sadath today said that popular actor Dileep, arrested for allegedly plotting the abduction and assault of a south Indian actress, had sworn to him in the name of Lord Shiva that he had no role in the crime.
Aluva MLA Sadath, also a friend of the actor, said he had telephonic talks with Dileep on many occasions and also a day after the actress was assaulted in a moving car in Kochi on February 17.
Sadath said he had also met Dileep and he had denied his involvement in the crime in one of these meetings.
"During one of these meetings, I asked him whether he had any role in it. He pointed to the temple of Aluva Thevar (Lord Shiva temple) and said he has no role in it," the MLA said.
Dileep, who was arrested on July 10, is currently facing custodial interrogation of his role in the heinous crime.
Recalling his talks and meetings with Dileep, Sadath said he had telephoned the actor on February 18 to invite him to participate in the inauguration of a school.
The issue of attack on the actress was also discussed during the telephonic talks, the MLA told reporters here.
"I telephoned him several times before he was made an accused in the case. I have also met him. But there were no secret meetings between us," the MLA emphasised.
Sadath sought to lay bare his links and interactions with the arrested actor a day after DYFI, the CPI(M)-affiliated youth organisation lodged a compliant with the police seeking a probe into the MLA's association with the actor.
The DYFI complaint accused the MLA of helping Dileep, but Sadath asserted that the actor never sought his help to escape the clutches of the law.
Sadath said his sentiments are fully with the actress who was subjected to the brutal attack.
"If Dileep is a culprit, he should be given maximum punishment," Sadath said.
He said the police has so far not asked him to appear before the investigation team for interrogation.
He alleged that his name was being dragged into the episode because some left party MLAs are suspected to have some role in the case.
The popular 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 and later escaped in a busy area here.
Six persons, including 'Pulsar' Suni, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the heinous crime.
After Dileep's arrest on July 10 allegedly for hatching the conspiracy to commit the crime, he was expelled from various film forums, including Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), as the industry rallied behind the actress.
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