Sakina Tashrifwala
Published on: September 7, 2022 at 22:46 IST
The Supreme Court on Monday granted an extension to complete the trial before January 31, 2023, in the sexual assault case, in which the Malayalam actor Dileep is an accused, and asked the trial judge to file a status report on the case within four weeks.
In its ruling, a Bench chaired by Justice Dinesh Maheshwari stated that the trial “may proceed on a daily basis.”
The case involves the alleged molestation of a South Indian actress who was kidnapped and forced into a car on February 17, 2017.
The prosecution is “prolonging the case at the instance of the prosecutrix so as to dodge a definitive verdict,” the accused, Dileep, claimed in a Supreme Court motion.
He had also protested to the highest court about how slowly the trial had gone. He said that a media trial was being conducted against him.
“Though, as at present we are not making any comments on the variety of grievances voiced by the petitioner (Dileep) but, taking the totality of circumstances into account and the orders already passed in this matter, we would expect that the trial of the matter is assigned a specific priority and, for that purpose, if necessary, the trial may proceed on day-to-day basis,” the Supreme Court directed.
The case involves the alleged molestation of a South Indian actress who was kidnapped and forced into a car on February 17, 2017. These people recorded the entire act in order to extort the actress.
Police have detained seven of the 10 accused in the 2017 case, including actor Dileep.
Dileep was then taken into custody. Bail was used to free him.
The Kerala High Court is scheduled to hear a transfer plea filed by the prosecutrix on September 6, the court further observed. The Bench requested that the High Court review the matter right away.
The Bench instructed the trial court to give a progress report after four weeks and scheduled the case for October 11, requesting the parties to cooperate with the lower court.