Aug. 30: The prime accused in the kidnap and sexual assault on a Malayalam actress early this year today claimed that leading actress Kavya Madhavan was the "Madam" he has often referred to, giving a new twist to the case that churned Kerala's film industry.

Kavya is the second and current wife of superstar Dileep, who completed 50 days in judicial custody since his arrest for alleged involvement in the kidnap plot.

"Kavya is my Madam," prime suspect Sunil Kumar alias 'Pulsar' Suni told reporters while being taken to a court in Ernakulam.

Kavya, who was questioned by the special investigation team on July 26 in connection with the case, has denied that she knows Suni. She had not responded to Suni's claims till evening.

Naming an actress who has ruled the Malayalam film industry for several years came as a new turn in the case, although the process of investigation would require a statement before a magistrate and not an off-the-cuff remark to the media to stand scrutiny in court.

Aluva superintendent of police A.V. George, who is part of the probe team, said he had no idea about the claim. "I don't know what Suni said," he told reporters. "I have only seen it on TV."

The February kidnap of the popular actress and the subsequent sexual assault in a moving car had led to weeks of speculation on whether Suni and his gang had been contracted by someone or just wanted to extort money from the victim as part of a blackmail plot.

The actress had in her statement to the police said her assailants had bragged about being contracted for the job by their "Madam" after they had waylaid her in Aluva, Ernakulam, while she was returning home from a shoot.

Dileep, the alleged conspirator, was arrested on July 10, with many claiming the controversy would lead to a clean-up in the male-dominated Association of Malayalam Movie Artists.

Dileep is accused of having plotted the attack on the actress as she had reportedly sent pictures of him and co-star Kavya to his then wife Manju Warrier. The actress stood by Manju during a difficult divorce.

Kerala High Court yesterday dismissed the actor's bail plea on the ground that there was prima facie evidence of his involvement in the case.

Today, Suni named Kavya as the "Madam" while answering questions from reporters.

"Am I not a thief? Why are you listening to a thief's confession?" he snapped before naming Kavya.

Suni had once told reporters everything would be revealed after August 16.

The police had earlier searched Laksyah, a boutique in Ernakulam owned by Kavya, in their bid to find the elusive mobile phone memory card used to record the sexual assault but drew a blank.

In a related case, actor Aju Varghese was yesterday arrested and released on bail for naming the victim in a Facebook message while expressing solidarity with her.

The arrest came after Kerala High Court refused to entertain his plea to quash the proceedings. The arrest was recorded under the penal code's Section 228A that bars anyone from revealing the name of any victim of sexual assault.

Offenders can be jailed for up to two years under this section.