Pathanapuram: MLA Ganesh Kumar's office secretary Pradeep Kumar who threatened the witness in the actress attack case has been arrested by Bekal police here in the wee hours of Tuesday. As per reports, Pradeep Kumar was taken into custody by Kasaragod CI and team. He was taken to Kasaragod and will be produced in the court on Tuesday.
Kasaragod Sessions Court had rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by Pradeep Kumar Kottathala the other day. The court accepted the prosecution's argument that the investigation is in its primary stage and so the accused need to be taken into custody for evidence collection.
Sessions Court judge S H Panchapakeshan settled the case. It was Bekal police which charged the case on the complaint filed by Malamkunnu native Vipinlal, a witness in the actress attack case. Pradeep Kumar Kottathala is the private secretary of MLA K B Ganesh Kumar.
The defendant counsel argued that the accused who was summoned as per CrPC 41-A can be arrested under rare circumstances only. However, the court allowed the arrest on the condition that the reason of arrest should be convinced to the magistrate.
The court did not consider the report submitted by the police opposing the bail plea of the accused. Pradeep's anticipatory bail plea was rejected after three days of argument. Dinesh Kumar appeared for the prosecution and P Premarajan appeared for the defendant.
Pradeep Kumar visited the approver Vipinlal asking him to turn hostile. However, he could not meet anyone. Thus he went to a jewellery in Kasaragod where Vipin's uncle works. He called Vipin's mother from uncle's phone and asked him to turn hostile in the case.
Following this, Vipin had to face many threats and received many phone calls. He filed the complaint in September. On the basis of this, police examined the CCTV visuals of the jewellery and identified Pradeep Kumar. Bekal police submitted a report stating that Pradeep Kumar attempted to influence and pose a threat to the approver.
