KOCHI: Actor Dileep, the eighth accused in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case, approached the Kerala High Court on Monday seeking to prohibit printing and telecasting of proceedings regarding the trial in the media.
In his petition, he said the media was violating the Ernakulam additional sessions court’s order of holding the trial ‘in-camera’. In the plea, he named only one media firm, Indo Asian News Channel Pvt Ltd (Reporter TV), as respondent.
Dileep also accused the investigation officer of leaking false and concocted stories to the media since the investigation stage to prejudice the public against him. Dileep alleged that the officer leaked select contents from the final report against him before it was filed in court.
Though the court had directed him to ensure that the materials are not leaked for media trial, the officers continued. Dileep said he and the other petitioners were being subjected to media trial sponsored by the investigation officer, with the channel Reporter TV taking the lead.
Dileep also sought to restrain the media from publishing or telecasting matters related to the case, including those related to the accused persons and witnesses, persons likely to be called as witnesses as well as the probe team, until the conclusion of the trial.