Actor abduction case: Kerala moves SC to extend trial deadline
The Supreme Court had set February 16 as the deadline to complete the trial.
Published: 06th January 2022 06:23 AM | Last Updated: 06th January 2022 06:23 AM | A+A A-
Actor Dileep is among the accused in the abduction case (Photo | Arun Angela, EPS)
NEW DELHI/KOCHI: The state government has approached the Supreme Court seeking to extend the deadline by six months to complete the trial in the sensational actor abduction and rape case in which movie star Dileep is an accused.
The Supreme Court had set February 16 as the deadline to complete the trial. The move comes after the launch of a fresh investigation following serious allegations made by director P Balachandrakumar against Dileep. The survivor too had written to the chief minister seeking a fresh probe.
The prosecution has also filed a petition at the Ernakulam chief judicial magistrate court to record Balachandrakumar’s secret statement. Ernakulam additional special sessions court, which conducts the trial, has directed the probe officer to file a report on the fresh investigation on January 20. In the petition filed before the apex court, the government said the trial may not be completed on schedule because of the fresh investigation.
New probe team may be formed
This apart, a new special prosecutor has to be appointed after the incumbent counsel resigned during the last hearing. In a TV interview, Balachandrakumar claimed that Dileep had watched the video of the sexual assault in his house and that the latter knew the first accused Sunil Kumar, alias Pulsar Suni, well.
He also alleged that Dileep influenced some of the key witnesses who turned hostile during the trial. Meanwhile, there are reports that a new investigation team would be formed in the case. The decision was taken after Dileep complained to the chief minister against probe officer Baiju Paulose. Dileep has also filed a contempt of court petition against the officer at the additional special sessions court.
