KOCHI: The Additional Special Sessions Court will hold a sitting on Monday to decide on resuming the trial in the sensational actor abduction case. With proceedings halted for the past one-and-a-half months due to the lockdown, the court will hear the prosecution and defence counsels on the matter.The Supreme Court had directed in 2019 that the trial of the case be completed within six months. With the deadline having ended in April, the court will be looking to resume proceedings as soon as possible.
Around 50 witnesses were examined during the first phase of witness examination, with the last sitting held on March 23. Following the Covid-19 outbreak, the trial scheduled from March 25 to 28 and April 1 to 7 were postponed. The first phase witness examination was scheduled to be completed by April 7, with as many as 136 witnesses listed. In the second phase, 119 witnesses are to be heard.
With public transportation yet to resume and social distancing guidelines in place, restarting the trial has its share of challenges. The prosecution will find it hard to produce witnesses residing in other districts. Producing accused persons currently jailed will be another problem. The court lacks video-conferencing facility though the equipment required have been provided. But the installation remains incomplete.
Trial proceedings in the Sessions and Magistrate courts were being postponed following a directive from the High Court last month.The incident leading to the case happened on February 17, 2017, when a gang abducted and molested a Mollywood actress inside a moving vehicle. The victim’s videos were also recorded. An FIR was registered at the Nedumbassery police station on the same day. Of the 10 accused facing trial, five are out on bail while the remaining five are lodged at various jails in Ernakulam. Actor Dileep, who was arrested in the case, is also out on bail.