The Malayalam actress abduction case has seen numerous twists and turns over the last few months, ever since a complaint was filed with the police. The incident dates back to February 17, when the actress was abducted and allegedly molested and raped in a car by six men. The men then dropped her and disappeared.

Malayalam actor Dileep, who was arrested in connection with the case, is currently in judicial custody. His bail plea was turned down by the Kerala High Court. The court argued that if Dileep were granted a bail, he could tamper with the evidence in the case.

Now, in a fresh development, the team investigating the case has unearthed information that several prominent celebrities in Mollywood were aware of Dileep's plans to abduct the actress. A report in Manorama Online says that the police have prepared a list of people from the Malayalam film industry who knew of Dileep's nefarious plans to harm the actress. The report further states that while the police have prepared a list and are to question them, they are not planning to arrest any of these celebrities as of now.

The animosity between the actress and Dileep was quite well-known in the industry. The friction between the two supposedly dates back to 2013, and the Dileep-Kavya Madhavan affair.

At an event organised by AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Actors) in 2013, Dileep confronted the actress and alleged that she was responsible for creating a buzz in the industry that he and Kavya Madhavan (his present wife) were having an affair. Dileep was married to actress Manju Warrier at that time. Dileep also accused the actress of telling his then wife Manju Warrier that he was having an extra-marital affair with Kavya Madhavan.

Everybody in Mollywood was aware of Dileep and the actress's strained relationship. Dileep's clout in the industry ensured that he received support, albeit silently from some, from the who's who of the industry.

The investigation team is said to have zeroed in on the people who voiced their support for Dileep during the annual general body meeting of the AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes). It should be noted that it was only after the arrest of Dileep that the members of AMMA met and decided to expel him.

Only two weeks ago, Malayalam director Vinayan alleged that Malayalam superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty were 'puppets in Dileep's hands'.

"From my personal experience, I know that Dileep is a master manipulator and Mammootty and Mohanlal have just been puppets in his hands. He rose to so much power that behind the scenes, it was him who was controlling Malayalam cinema's progress," Vinayan said.

Mollywood was shocked by the stunning silence from Malayalam superstars and senior actors after Dileep's name cropped up in the case. It wasn't until the arrest of Dileep earlier this month that the AMMA took any action against the actor, who was the treasurer of the association.

This morning, Dileep's manager Appunni appeared before the police for questioning.

The popular actress was abducted on February 17 when she was on her way home after a shoot. Some men got into her car on the way to Kochi and allegedly sexually assaulted her. They also took photos and videos of the act to blackmail the actress.