Kerala seeks extension of trial in actress abduction case by 6 months

Kochi, Jan 5 (IANS) Following a fresh and an explosive disclosure in the infamous actress abduction case in Kerala, in which hugely popular actor Dileep is an accused, the State on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an extension of six months to complete the trial in the case.

The apex court had in September granted time till February 16, 2022 to complete the trial, which was the third time the apex court granted extension.

Dileep suffered a rude jolt last week when his close friend and a director Balachandra Kumar said soon after Dileep was released on bail, he saw the visuals of the assault on the actress in the car.

Kumar also claimed that the visuals were handed over to the actor by a VIP and he was privy to all this.

Incidentally till now, it is only the trial court which has seen these visuals.

With the disclosure, the police probe team has sought permission from the court to take a statement from Kumar.

The actress was abducted and assaulted in a moving car in Kochi on February 17, 2017, and Dileep was arrested in July 2017 in connection with the case, spending several weeks in jail before securing bail.

He has been named as a conspirator in the case, being charged with "revenge crime".