KOCHI: The prosecution in the actor abduction and rape case involving actor Dileep on Thursday filed a report before the Additional Special Sessions Court submitting that a memory card containing sexual assault visuals, which was in the custody of the court, was accessed illegally. The court had earlier ordered the investigation officer to file a report regarding the further investigation launched based on the revelation of film director P Balachandrakumar against Dileep.
It is mentioned in the court diary that the investigation officer of the case filed a report seeking three more months for completing the investigation. "On going through the report, nothing is mentioned there regarding the investigation conducted from February 1 to March 1 even after the court gave specific direction to file a report completing the investigation. Further, in the report filed before the court, the investigating officer stated that the memory card kept in the custody of the court was accessed illegally. Since there is nothing in the report regarding the investigation conducted using the period granted by this court, this court is not in a position to fix a time for the remaining part of the investigation as directed by the Supreme Court," stated the court diary.
It is stated in the diary that as the investigating officer failed to file a proper report before the court, it is necessary to have a report containing the details regarding the probe on or before March 10. "Further the investigating officer is directed to furnish the details of alleged illegal access of memory card kept in the custody of court in a sealed cover," stated the court diary.
Earlier, the victim in the case had sent letters to the Supreme Court and Kerala Chief Minister saying that she fears a leak of the assault visuals from the court. In the complaint, she alleged that the memory card in the custody of the court is suspected to have been accessed using another computer. The investigation team is conducting a probe in this regard.
The court as part of the trial examined 203 witnesses before the prosecution filed a petition to conduct a further investigation in the case based on the revelations by director P Balachandrakumar against Dileep. The time set by the Supreme Court to complete the trial ended on February 16 and the trial court has sought a further extension for it. Nine accused persons including Dileep are facing trial. It was on February 17, 2017 that a leading actor was abducted and raped in a moving car while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi.