Actress assault case: Kerala HC allows re-examination, summoning of new witnesses

Kerala High Court has allowed the plea filed by the State Government in the Malayalam actress assault case, challenging the trial court's order seeking to re-examine three witnesses and summon five new witnesses. 

Earlier the trial court had rejected the plea to re-examine witnesses. Single Bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath observed while allowing the plea that "The entire exercise of adducing additional evidence as per this order shall be concluded in 10 days. The Director General of Prosecution shall see that a new Special Public Prosecutor is deputed or some other alternative arrangement is made to conduct the case on behalf of prosecution and ensure that the examination of the witnesses and production of the documents as allowed as per this order is done within a period of 10 days."

The Court also directed the witnesses to co-operate to complete additional evidence within this period. The State Government approached the trial court first and High Court then after the new revelations made by Malayalam film director Balachandra Kumar against actor Dileep. Dileep is the eighth accused in the actress assault case.

The Crime Branch of Kerala Police registered a new case against Malayalam movie actor Dileep and five others on January 9 for allegedly threatening the investigating officials in connection with the actress assault case. They were booked under IPC sections 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment), 118 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), 120B (party to criminal conspiracy), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (criminal act done by several people). Dileep is named as the first accused in the FIR. 

Anoop, who is Dileep's brother and Suraj, Dileep's brother-in-law are the second and third accused. Appu, Babu Chengamanad are the other accused. One more accused has not been identified yet. The case was registered after some audio clips of Dileep and other accused surfaced in which Dileep and others allegedly threatened officials investigating the case. 

At the same time, Balachandra Kumar, a film director also gave a statement against Dileep on this. After this, DySP Baiju Paulose, the investigating officer of the actress assault case filed a complaint with the Crime Branch against Dileep following which the Crime Branch registered a case against Dileep and five others. 

The FIR submitted in the Court alleged that the actor had said that the investigating officers Baiju Paulose, Sudarshan, Sandhya, and Sojan are going to suffer. 

The FIR also says that Dileep conspired to chop off the hand of Sudarshan and another investigating officer. The case pertains that an actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu films was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. 

Also Read: Who's the VIP in revelations made by director in actor Dileep case?