K S Sudhi KOCHI
The trial in the sensational actor rape case is likely to resume soon with the State authorities zeroing in on a prosecutor to conduct the case.
A trial court lawyer from Thiruvananthapuram may be appointed as special prosecutor in the case in place of the one who resigned from the post. The order appointing the new prosecutor is likely to be issued in a week, according to government sources.
The government move to appoint the prosecutor comes at a time when the court-set deadline of July 15 for completing the further investigation is fast approaching.
The special prosecutor is being appointed in consultation with the survivor in the case. The State government is keen to see that the interests of the survivor is protected, the sources indicated.
The prosecution case is that the actor was sexually assaulted on the night of February 17, 2017 in a moving car in Kochi while she was returning from Thrissur.
Trial stalled
The trial in the case has been stalled for close to six months after a host of developments, including the resignation of two special prosecutors from the post, and the police launching a further investigation alleging that Dileep, the eight accused, had conspired to harm the investigation officers in the case.
After A. Sureshan, the first prosecutor stepping down, V.N. Anilkumar, the second one, too put in his papers by citing the “uncongenial atmosphere” in the Additional Special Sessions Court. Since then, additional public prosecutor K.B. Sunilkumar had been conducting the trial before the Special Court in the other matters related to the case, including the recent petition to cancel the bail granted to actor Dileep. Incidentally, the trial court had turned down the prosecution plea to cancel the bail to Dileep, who had been accused of conspiracy in the case.
Meanwhile, it is yet to be known whether the police would seek further extension of time from the High Court for completing the investigation. The prosecution and the police are waiting for the forensic report on the memory card in which the visuals of the alleged rape were recorded from the State Forensic Science Laboratory. The card was sent to the lab on Wednesday. The seven-day deadline for the lab to submit the report, as instructed by the court, will end on July 14, one day before the court-set deadline for completing the further investigation.
Supplementary report
The police may file a supplementary report on the trial court in Angamaly from there it would be forwarded to the Special Court, sources indicated.
https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/MShareArticle?OrgId=GGNA0RNMV.1&imageview=0
അഭിപ്രായങ്ങളൊന്നുമില്ല:
ഒരു അഭിപ്രായം പോസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യൂ