Actor, Director Depose In Actress Kidnap Case

Malayalam superstar Dileep and actor-director Nadir Shah on Wednesday gave their statement to police here in the case of the kidnapping of a popular actress earlier this year.

They arrived at the Aluva police club on Wednesday noon. Earlier, before leaving his home near here for the police station, Dileep told the media not to "twist" matters. "My only request to all of you is not to twist things... I will no longer be game to any sort of media trial." Shah and Dileep together drove into the club where Additional Director General of Police B. Sandhya was waiting to take their statement. Dileep, his manager Appunni and Shah were called to give their statement.

In the past few days, the case has taken several twists and turns. On Sunday, the police arrested two persons for blackmailing Dileep and Shah. One of the two is Vishnu, who is alleged to have threatened Dileep and Shah to cough up Rs 1.50 crore or else he would "reveal" their role in the kidnap conspiracy. Vishnu told them there were others in the film industry who have offered him Rs 2 crore for naming Dileep in the case.

Last week, Shah told reporters that in March he got a call from Vishnu, who asked him to tell Dileep to cough up Rs 1.50 crore. Dileep had filed a petition against this in April. Dileep had come under fire after he alleged that the actress and her abductor (Pulsar Suni) were friends. On Tuesday, the actress said she was pained by this remark. The hugely popular young actress was kidnapped on February 17 while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi by road but later dumped near the house of director-turned-actor Lal, who upon hearing her harrowing experience, informed police. She is alleged to have been molested enroute.