The Supreme Court on Monday gave the Sessions court hearing a sexual assault case involving Malayalam actor Dileep six months’ time, starting from March 4, to complete the trial.
A Bench led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar made it clear that the time was given as an “indulgence” and as a “last opportunity”.
“The parties must cooperate for early conclusion of the trial,” the apex court said.
The order came on a request, dated January 16, 2021, from the Additional Special Sessions Judge, Ernakulam, Kerala, for six more months to complete the trial proceedings. The apex court had earlier extended the deadline for completion of criminal proceedings by six months. It had asked the court to complete the trial by February 4, 2021.
The proceedings had been delayed due to the pandemic and a host of other facts. The prosecution could so far examine only 82 of the nearly 300 witnesses listed in the case.
The prosecution case is that the victim, also an actor, was assaulted by a group of men in a moving car in 2017. One of them had recorded the alleged crime on a mobile phone. Dileep is accused of conspiracy in the case and is the eighth accused.
