Team News Riveting
Kochi, March 8
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed actor Dileep’s plea opposing further investigation in the 2017 actor assault case.
The famous film actor of Kerala is the eighth accused in the case.
The bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath said that the investigation agency could continue with further investigation. “However, it shall complete the further investigation and file the further report as expeditiously as possible. At any rate not later than April 15, 2022,” the bench said.
The trial in the 2017 sexual assault case is going on at a trial court in Kerala. The Crime Branch of Kerala Police is conducting further investigation in the case following revelations by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar.
The actor landed in a fresh dispute when the Investigating Officer (IO) on January 3 informed the CBI Special Court quoting the statements from a film director Balachandra Kumar that he had heard Dileep indicating to take revenge on the police officers investigating the case. The trial judge ordered the IO to submit a detailed report before January 20 after completing the investigation.
Dileep has approached the court seeking anticipatory bail after the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police registered a new FIR against him and five others for allegedly threatening the investigation officials. The actor moved the court on February 2, calling this further investigation in the case a “willful attempt to protract the trial” and contended that further investigation in that case was not permissible as a final report had been filed in November 2017, charges were framed in January 2020 and only one prosecution witness — one of the investigating officers — remained to be examined.
The High Court had on February 24 reserved its judgement after hearing arguments on behalf of the actor, the survivor and the prosecution.
The survivor actress was abducted and allegedly assaulted in her car for two hours by the accused— allegedly hired by actor Dileep. The crime was reportedly filmed by the accused to blackmail the actress. There are 10 accused in the case, of which Dileep is the eighth accused.
