Kochi: Malayalam movie actor Dileep hatched a plan to attack the actress as early as 2013. The reason: She tipped off his then wife about his affair with another actress.

The actor was arrested on Monday in Kochi for conspiring with a gang of criminals who waylaid the actress on a highway on February 17. The police retraced the run-up to the abduction and harassment of the actress after interrogating about 15 persons close to Dileep or Pulsar Suni, the prime accused.

Dileep had confronted the actress in a hotel on M G Road in Ernakulam during a rehearsal for a show organized by the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). He was cross because he believed that the actress had told his wife Manju Warrier about his affair with Kavya Madhavan.

As the spat turned ugly, other actors including Siddique intervened to solve it. Pulsar Suni was also witness to the commotion. He was there as Mukesh’s driver.

Suni offered to help Dileep to settle scores but they waited for an opportune time. Two years later, Dileep and Suni drew up the plan at the shooting location of ‘Georgettan’s Pooram’, the police said.

Suni had left his job as Mukesh’s driver. Dileep had divorced Manju Warrier and married Kavya Madhavan. Dileep told Suni that the time had come for retribution, according to witness testimonies collected by the police.

Dileep never expected the needle of suspicion to turn towards him as the personal squabble had turned old news after his second marriage.

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