KOCHI:  Film Director P. Balachandrakumar, one of the key witnesses in the infamous 2017 Kerala actress abduction case, passed away at a private hospital on Friday morning.

He had been suffering from kidney and heart-related ailments.

His passing away comes at a time when the trial in the actress abduction case is in its final stages.

The case took a turn when hugely popular actor Dileep was questioned and after a few rounds of questioning was arrested in 2017. Dileep was in jail for three months and was later given bail.

Incidentally, it was the revelation made by the Director that led to a twist in the case and things got tough for Dileep. In 2021, Balachandrakumar gave a crucial statement against Dileep, alleging that the actor had visuals of the assault and had attempted to influence witnesses. He also claimed that Pulsar Suni, the main accused, was seen at Dileep's residence.

Even when he was in and out of hospital, Balachandrakumar often appeared before the trial court as a key witness.

The last time he appeared before the trial court was on November 11 following which his health deteriorated.

Early this week, he underwent heart surgery and breathed his last while recovering from it at a private hospital in Alappuzha district.

The last rites will be held in the state capital district from where he hails.

The actress abduction incident occurred in 2017 when she was assaulted in a moving car in Kochi. The prime accused, Pulsar Suni, got bail recently from the Supreme Court after seven years languishing in jail here, Suni had been working at film shooting sets as a driver since 2010.

According to the case, Suni was known to Dileep, the eighth accused in the actor abduction case. According to the police probe, Dileep and the victim never had a good relationship as he was angry with her for allegedly tipping off his former wife about his relationship with another actor.

The gruesome incident occurred when Suni, along with the now other accused -- all his close friends -- joined him in abducting and sexually assaulting the actress who was returning from a film shooting location in Thrissur to Kochi on February 17, 2017.