Kochi, April 4 (IANS) Film director Ranjith was on Saturday sent to police custody till Monday in connection with a sexual assault complaint filed by a young actress, with investigators set to begin detailed evidence collection in the coming days after his bail plea was rejected by a court here.

The Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) court considered Ranjith’s bail plea before granting police custody, accepting the prosecution’s contention that the allegations point to a serious offence warranting custodial interrogation.

The defence, however, urged the court to take a lenient view, citing Ranjith’s health condition, stating that he suffers from spinal issues and has undergone a liver transplant.

With custody secured, the police are expected to intensify the probe, including reconstructing the sequence of events and collecting evidence from the caravan where the alleged assault attempt is said to have taken place.

Officials indicated that forensic and circumstantial evidence will form a key part of the investigation.

The case has also seen legal developments, with senior advocate S. Rajeev appearing for Ranjith after advocate Mohammed Siyad withdrew from the brief amid controversy.

Siyad, who had been a member of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the film associated with the complainant, stepped aside, stating he did not wish to be part of the public dispute.

According to the complaint, the alleged incident occurred on January 9 at a film location in Fort Kochi.

The actress has stated that she was allegedly targeted when she entered Ranjith’s caravan for a meeting, where an attempt to assault her was made.

Ranjith was taken into custody last week after his vehicle was intercepted at Thodupuzha on the instructions of the Idukki Superintendent of Police.

The complainant has said she approached authorities only after undergoing counselling to deal with the trauma following the incident.

Police sources indicated that the arrest followed a preliminary assessment that found merit in her confidential statement, paving the way for further legal action.

–IANS

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