KOCHI: In a startling revelation, the survivor in the 2017 actor assault case has alleged that actor Dileep, the eighth accused, and his men had established contacts with the trial court judge and her husband, an excise CI who is allegedly involved in a custodial torture case. In this scenario, she was apprehensive of not getting a fair trial, the survivor told the Kerala High Court.
She alleged that a voice clip obtained from Dileep’s phone revealed that he and his men had established contact with the judge and her husband. The judge, however, chose to ignore evidence of the same, she said in her petition seeking to withdraw the case pending in the files of additional special judge (SPE/CBI), Ernakulam, and transfer it to any other court having the jurisdiction to try the case. “I live in constant fear that the visuals of the assault, which were in the court’s custody, may surface anytime,” she said.
Forensic examination of the memory card, which contained the visuals and was in the court’s custody, had revealed that the card was illegally accessed on July 19, 2021, on a Vivo phone and there was a change in the hash value of the files, the survivor said.
‘Judge negligent, failed to protect memory card’
“The voice clip clearly shows that the accused had established a soulful connection with the judge. In it, one person can be heard addressing Dileep respectfully by name and excitedly saying, ‘We got what we were searching for right under our feet.’ The person also speaks of a custodial torture case in which the judge’s husband is allegedly involved. He goes on to say that ‘they have contacted our advocate regarding that’ and ‘there should not be any confusion from our side’,” said the survivor.
The person can also be heard saying: ‘It is very positive for us’, ‘there will be no tension’ and ‘we have been able to keep a soulful connection once again’, she submitted. ‘She also alleged that the judge, who was duty bound to protect the memory card, was negligent which resulted in it being tampered with. “The petitioner has lost all faith in getting justice from the presiding officer,” she said in her plea.
She also alleged that Dileep repeatedly tried to influence and threaten the witnesses. “The trial was marred by instances of witnesses being tutored. Twenty-two of them turned hostile due to the influence of the accused. Two government-appointed prosecutors resigned during the trial,” she said.
The survivor said she was relieved when the judge was promoted and posted as principal district and sessions judge in Ernakulam. However, much to her shock, the media reported that the case will be transferred to the same judge.