Court Rejects Request for Public Trial in Kerala Actress Abduction Case
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Kochi, Dec 21 (NationPress) On Saturday, a court in Ernakulam, Kerala dismissed the appeal made by a renowned actress, who was a victim of sexual assault in 2017, for the continuation of the trial proceedings to be conducted in a public setting. The trial is nearing its conclusion at the Principal District and Sessions Court in Ernakulam.
On December 12, the actress petitioned the court for an open trial; however, with her request denied, it remains uncertain what her subsequent actions will be.
In a related development, the actress faced a setback when a key witness in the case, film director P. Balachandra Kumar, passed away in a private hospital on December 13 after suffering from health issues. Kumar had consistently appeared in court when summoned during the trial.
Notably, actor Dileep, a prominent figure in the Malayalam film industry, stands as one of the accused in this case. He was imprisoned for nearly three months in 2017 and is currently released on bail.
Previously, the actress requested intervention from President Droupadi Murmu, highlighting her concerns regarding the perceived lack of justice from both the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court. She expressed alarm over the unauthorized access, duplication, and transfer of a memory card containing the assault videos while it was under court supervision.
Despite her repeated pleas, there has been no action against those accountable for this breach, she stated.
The incident in question occurred on February 17, 2017, when the actress was forcibly taken and assaulted in a moving vehicle while traveling from Thrissur to Kochi after completing a film shoot.
The primary suspect, Pulsar Suni, a driver for film sets since 2010, was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court after serving seven years in prison. According to police reports, Suni had connections with Dileep, who is the eighth accused in this matter.
Investigations indicated that actor Dileep harbored resentment towards the actress, allegedly stemming from her informing his former wife about his relationship with another actress. The case revolves around a violent assault carried out by Suni and his accomplices after the actress was abducted in a calculated manner.
