In what seems like a desperate attempt to be a hindrance for the commencement of trial proceedings in Kerala actor assault case, accused actor Dileep has filed a fresh plea in court asking to stay examination of witnesses. Dileep, who is accused of masterminding the abduction and sexual assault of a leading female Malayalam actor, filed the plea in the Additional Special Sessions Court in Ernakulam on Tuesday.
Dileep asked the court for a stay as he has not yet received the examination report of the controversial visuals which can specify its authenticity, reports Asianet News. Dileep’s counsel filed the plea while the court met on Tuesday to fix the date to start the trial proceedings. Last month Dileep had examined the controversial visuals in the case following a Supreme Court order.
Meanwhile, Justice Honey M Varghese who hears the case, has said that the trial will start from January 30. According to reports, chances are bleak for Dileep’s plea to be considered by the court. The prosecution counsel also pointed out while the plea was filed, that the Supreme Court has directed to complete the trial proceedings within six months.
According to the report, the court has also fixed the list of 136 witnesses to whom summons will be sent to be present for examination. Reportedly, the first phase of the witness examination has been fixed from January 30 to April 7.
The trial court on Monday had framed charges against all the ten accused in the case. Dileep, the eighth accused, and the other prime accused persons - Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh VP, Salim and Pradeep - have been charged under the same sections, most of them mentioned in the chargesheet, including sections 120 A (criminal conspiracy), 120 B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage), 354 (assault or criminal force in woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force on woman with intent to disrobe) 357 (assault or criminal force in attempt wrongfully to confine a person), 376 D (gang rape), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
It was in February 2017 that a leading female actor from Malayalam film industry was abducted from Kochi and sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle.