The Kerala Police are likely to extend the probe into the shocking incident of kidnapping, molestation and filming of a frontline Malayalam film actress inside a car last Friday near Kochi to the State’s film world even as they expected the main accused, Sunil Kumar alias Pulsar Suni of Perumbavoor, a habitual criminal and leader of the gang of hoodlums that had attacked the actress, to surrender soon.
The plan to extend the probe into the Malayalam film network based in Kochi is on the basis of his close links with several film personalities, the information that there could have been a criminal conspiracy behind incident and the star’s own statement that Suni himself had told her that the attack was as per a contract (“quotation” in the Kerala underworld parlance).
Giving clear indications that the probe would not be limited to the hoodlums who had committed the heinous crime, Cultural Affairs Minister in charge of Cinema said on Tuesday, “There are several unacceptable tendencies in the film world… Just like they smoke monitor lizards out of their holes, we will smoke out (the bad elements in the film field).”
Former Cinema Minister KB Ganesh Kumar, himself a noted actor, said the Malayalam film industry was in the grip of underworld gangs. “A real estate-underworld-cinema triangle, which used to be there in Mumbai once, is now there in the Kochi film field. Actors have been attacked earlier also. I will give all the information I have to the Chief Minister,” he said.
Kaithapram Damodaran, noted film lyricist, was quoted as saying that a prominent Malayalam film actor was operating in close association with goondas. He said some of the film personalities held in high esteem could have been behind the actress’s ordeal as far as he knew.
“These people operate with the help of goondas,” he was quoted as saying.
The young actress, who has done nearly 100 films including several in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, was attacked by a gang of six hired hoodlums including Martin Antony, driver of the car she was travelling in, late Friday night when she was on her way from Thrissur to Kochi in a car provided by the production wing of the film project she was working with.
A Tempo Traveler following the actress’s car knocked on it at Athani near Kochi International Airport late Friday night and three hoodlums who were in the Traveler forcefully got into her car amidst the squabble that ensued. They harassed, molested and filmed her in the awkward situation with the presumed intention of blackmailing her. The hoodlums left her and the car at a Kochi suburb just before midnight Friday.
Martin, a native of Koratty, Thrissur, was arrested on Saturday morning while two others of the gang, Saleem alias Vadival Saleem of Alappuzha and Pradeep of Kannur were held on Sunday. Another hoodlum, Manikantan from Thammanam, Kochi, was arrested from Palakkad on Monday while gang leader Suni and his associate Vijesh of Kannur were still absconding.
The police had put all courts in Kochi and around under surveillance based on the rumour that Suni and Vijesh might surrender in a court. The police wanted to catch them before they surrendered before a court in order to avoid the delay in getting them in custody. At the same time, the High Court posted their anticipatory bail pleas for hearing to March 3.
According to the victim, Suni was wearing a mask when he was assaulting her. When his mask came off amidst this and she identified him, he said there was nothing personal in the act but he was doing it as per a contract he was given by somebody. This strengthened the suspicion that some elements from the film field might have placed a role.