KOCHI: The Additional Special Sessions Court, conducting the trial in the sensational actor abduction case in which actor Dileep is an accused, on Thursday sought a report from the Superintendent of Viyyur Central Jail on the release of accused-turned-approver Vipin Lal.
Vipin, who was the tenth accused and who was made an approver while remaining in judicial custody, recently lodged a complaint that MLA KB Ganesh Kumar's personal staff member threatened him against giving a statement in the case.
As per section 306 of the CrPC, any person made an approver while remaining in judicial custody has to continue in jail till the trial is completed. However, Vipin was released from jail in 2018. Similarly, there are no records in court regarding the bail granted to him.
A report on the release of Vipin was filed by the prosecution on Thursday. The prosecution in its report stated that summons under section 306 of CrPC for making him an approver was sent to Viyyur Central Jail. They insisted that there were no lapses on their part.
"The prosecution filed a report that the approver was released from Central Prison Viyyur on September 6, 2018. Hence the Superintendent of the jail is directed to file details regarding the release of Vipin," stated the Court Dairy.
According to sources, there are records available showing that the remand period of Vipin was extended after September 6, 2018.
"The report from the Jail Superintendent will shed more light on the incident. Vipin was remanded in another case when he met first accused Pulsar Sunni. There is the possibility that he might have been granted bail in another case, and due to a procedural lapse at the jail, he was released. Similarly, it is also to be checked whether Vipin was granted bail in the actor abduction case after which he was made an approver. There will be related records available at the jail in this regard," sources said.
The Supreme Court had dismissed the petition filed by the prosecution to transfer the case to another court. The trial has come to standstill after the Special Public Prosecutor resigned from the case. The prosecution is yet to appoint a new Special Prosecutor for the case. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that the trial should be completed on or before February 4, 2021.
It was in 2017 that a leading actor in the film industry was abducted and raped in a moving vehicle. There are 10 accused people facing the trial.