Kochi: Ending suspense over the conspiracy behind the abduction and sexual assault of a young actress last February, the Special Investigation Team on Monday arrested prominent Malayalam actor, producer, theatre owner and distributor Dileep on the strength of fresh evidence that he hired key accused Pulsar Suni to do the job, following a fallout with the actress over family-related issues. The arrest, after almost 10 hours of interrogation, though less than the 13-hour marathon questioning a few days ago, climaxed cinema-style, as an impression had gained ground that the investigation reached a dead end and Dileeep would never have to atone.

The actress declined to comment but her family said there was God’s signature on the probe. A relative of the actress in his Facebook post said the family had immense faith in Kerala police all along and thanked all for standing with her during the testing times. The cops subjected Dileep to a detailed interrogation at a secret location, the second time in a week. Finally his arrest for conspiracy (section 120 (B) IPC) was recorded at the Aluva Police Club by 6.45 pm as people thronged the Club vicinity in large numbers. His close confidante Nadirshah was also questioned but later released.

“The arrest of Dillep is to facilitate further probe in the case and we may take more people into custody based on findings that unravel in the probe,” State Police Chief Loknath Benra said in Thirurvananthapuram. According to sources, the arrest was made after cops succeeded in digging out clinching evidence, including the place where the conspiracy was hatched – a hotel on MG Road. The hotel’s CCTV records over a year back ago showed the actor along with Suni and another person.

The police also found Dileep had known Suni for years and the latter was present at many of his film locations. Earlier, the actor had denied familiarity with the key accused, which made the cops suspicious and do the longish process of questioning. The probe revealed that Dileep had a fallout with the actress back in 2013.

It was over her “interference” in his family affairs and eventually the break-up. Sources said it was in the second attempt the gang, led by Suni, succeeded in violating the actress in a moving car on the night of February 17. Phone calls of Dileep and his close circle since 2013 were proof of this, they said. For a major part of the probe, the cops groped in the dark and at one stage even filed a charge-sheet, saying there was no proof for the conspiracy. However, the turnaround came when a co-prisoner of Suni told police that the latter had contacted actor Dileep from inside the jail by making calls to Nadirshah and manager Appunni.

A letter reportedly written at the behest of Suni from inside Kakkanad district jail, asking Dileep to pay up, too surfaced in which it was mentioned that the memory card used to record visuals of the attack on the actress was handed over to someone at the online apparel store in Kakkanad, owned by his wife and actress Kavya Madhavan. Dileep too suddenly came out claiming he had received a blackmail letter to “link” him with the case.

This was enough for cops to go in full steam probing the conspiracy angle, starting with the actress’ claim that she was deliberately kept out of the certain films at the behest of certain persons from the film field. On April 18 last, the cops submitted the charge-sheet against seven persons who had a direct role in the attack with Pulsar Suni arraigned as the first accused.

On Sunday, the cops interrogated Pulsar Suni at a secret location during which he is learnt to have finally spilled the beans and revealed the names of big sharks. Suni on Monday told his counsel that he wanted to record a secret statement before the court on the conspiracy and asked counsel B A Aloor to submit an application before the court on July 18.