Kerala Sex Assault Survivor Moves High Court, Seeks Transfer Of Trial

A woman actor who was allegedly kidnapped and sexually abused in Kerala's Ernakulam in 2017, has approached the Kerala High court to transfer the case from the trial court in Ernakulam, where the hearing is underway. In her petition, she said she has been aggrieved by the biased and hostile attitude of the court during the trial.

The petition alleged that the prosecution was not heard at certain times and provided instances. Among other allegations, it also says there was failure in recording portions of her testimonies despite repeated appeals.

The proceedings in the trial court has been held in-camera with severe restrictions on media reportage. In her petition, the survivor said the court has failed to uphold the spirit of in-camera trial.

The actor was allegedly kidnapped and sexually abused while travelling to Kochi for work in in February 2017. There were at least four men, who had allegedly filmed the attack.

Among the 10 accused in this case is actor Dileep, who allegedly hatched the criminal conspiracy to kidnap and assault the woman.

Dileep, once considered by many to be Kerala's number three superstar after Mammootty and Mohanlal, was arrested in July 2017.

In December 2018, the Kerala High Court had dismissed his plea for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the case. The actor had asked for a CBI probe, contending that he was falsely implicated. In January 2020, Supreme Court refused to stay the trial against Dileep, while a sessions court dismissed his discharge petition seeking that his name be removed from the list of accused.