Trial proceedings in the sensational case pertaining to the assault on a young frontline South Indian film actress in a moving car in February last year began in a Kochi court on Wednesday. Malayalam movie superstar Dileep, who is the eighth accused in the case and allegedly the chief conspirator behind the assault, appeared in the court even as the victim sought special arrangements for trial.A private lawyer who appeared for the actress in the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court in Kochi moved a plea praying that the trial in the case be held in camera presided over by a woman judge in a fast track court. The victim also sought expeditious proceedings for ensuring completion of the trial in minimum possible time.However, the court questioned the need of a private lawyer for the victim when a Special Prosecutor had been made available to represent her.
The judge said that the private lawyer could assist the Prosecutor but the counsel argued that victims in such cases had the right to have private lawyers. The court will take up the case on March 28.
Dileep appeared in the court on Wednesday contrary to the speculation that he might avoid a situation of coming face to face with first accused Sunil Kumar, his alleged co-conspirator and head of the gang that had abducted and attacked the actress. Apart from Dileep and Suni, eight other accused also appeared in the court. There are a total of 12 accused in the case.
The leading actress was sexually assaulted and videographed in that awkward condition by a gang led by Suni in a moving car on the night of February 17 last year when she was on her way to Kochi from Thrissur. Suni and some of his associates were arrested within a week of the incident and the first chargesheet in the case was filed subsequently.
The superstar was arrested on July 10, 2017 on the charge of giving a Rs 1.5-crore ‘quotation’ to Suni to abduct and assault the actress physically and sexually and videograph her in the awkward situation and he had spent 85 days in the Sub-Jail in Aluva, his hometown near Kochi, under remand. The probe was held by a special Kerala Police team headed by ADGP B Sandhya.
In the additional chargesheet filed in the case at the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Angamaly near Kochi on November 22 last year, the police named Dileep as eighth accused and slapped on him serious charges including criminal conspiracy, gang rape, kidnapping and destruction of evidences. Two of the accused had turned approvers.
According to the police, Dileep and Suni were the only persons involved in the conspiracy.