KOCHI: The survivor in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case on Tuesday requested the Kerala High Court to hear her while deciding on the petition filed by actor Dileep, the eighth accused in the case, who challenged the further investigation carried out by the police.
When the petition filed by Dileep came up for hearing, senior advocate S Sreekumar, representing the survivor, submitted that she wanted to file an application seeking to implead herself in the case. Following the request, the court adjourned the case to Monday.
Actor Dileep argued that further investigation in the case was not permissible as a final report had been filed in November 2017, charges were framed in January 2020 and only one prosecution witness, the investigating officer, remained to be examined. He also sought to quash the report on the further investigation based on the fresh developments filed by the crime branch before the trial court.
Further investigation in the case, which is already nearing the end of the trial, started when film director P Balachandrakumar came forward with fresh allegations against Dileep. The actor wanted the court to declare that further investigation is illegal and directed the trial court to proceed with the trial.
“In the name of further investigation, what is being carried out is a series of vindictive acts by a set of police officers including very senior officers. They also want to foist a case against the petitioner and all other male members of his family and a few persons who are closely associated with him,” Dileep's counsel argued.