Ernakulam Additional Special Sessions Judge Honey M. Varghese on Tuesday directed the investigation officer in the actor sexual assault case, in which actor Dileep is an accused, to file a report on the investigation being conducted into the revelations by Balachandrakumar, who claims to be Dileep’s friend, in connection with the case.
The judge, while ordering the investigation officer to file the report on or before January 20, observed that the investigation was the exclusive prerogative of the investigation officer. The law did not mandate any permission from the court to conduct further investigation. It was only a matter of courtesy to inform the court.
The investigation officer had earlier informed the court that further investigation was being conducted and produced the recorded statement of Balachandrakumar in a sealed cover.
Plea adjourned
The court also adjourned to January 21 the hearing on a petition filed by the prosecution seeking to defer the examination of some of the witnesses. The petition pleaded for postponing the examination in the light of further investigation being conducted into the case and as a petition was pending before the High Court against the rejection of the prosecution plea to recall some of the witnesses and summon additional witnesses for examination.
The court also directed the investigation officer to make necessary arrangements to conduct the prosecution, in the light of the Supreme Court directive to dispose of the case on or before February 16. When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution was not represented by any lawyer. Special Public Prosecutor V.N. Anilkumar had resigned last week citing an uncongenial atmosphere at the sessions court.
The revelation
In an interview to channels, Balachandrakumar said he had seen ‘Pulsar’ Suni, the prime accused in the case, at the residence of Dileep. He said it was Dileep’s brother Anoop who introduced Suni to him in December 2016 at the actor’s residence in Aluva. He had also alleged that Dileep had got a copy of the video on the sexual assault of the woman actor even before it was produced in the court.
