Kerala actor assault case: HC asks govt to submit statement on petition alleging political interference

On Wednesday, the state government demanded that the petitioner rescind references related to political interference in the probe and withdraw the allegation that the government had tried to scuttle the investigation. The demand was opposed by the survivor.

The petition was considered by the bench of Justice Ziad Rahman. The high court directed the state government to submit its statement on Friday.

Earlier, the survivor had asked that her petition not be heard by Justice Kauser Edappagath and be sent to another bench. The petitioner had pointed out that the ongoing probe included tampering and transmission of a memory card which contained visuals of the alleged sexual assault. The card was kept in the trial court and during the relevant period, the trial was conducted by Justice Edappagath, who was then the principal sessions judge in Ernakulam.

Meanwhile, several CPI(M) leaders came out against the survivor, saying that her petition was politically motivated. “If there is a detailed look into the case, there are many things which cannot be stated openly. I don’t want to reveal it now. This is a shameless case which has been persisting for quite some time. Dileep is a person who has emerged as a good actor. Don’t know how he got involved in this. The state government has nothing to do with the case, which is before the court,” said senior CPI(M) leader and former minister M M Mani.

Mahila Congress state president and Rajya Sabha MP Jeby Mather has approached the State Women’s Commission against Mani and others. “CPI(M) leaders have made comments which insult a woman’s modesty. They have belittled the trauma being faced by the survivor into a political issue,” she said.