Kerala actor assault case: Survivor writes to CM Vijayan after Public Prosecutors resigns

In the latest development in the Kerala actor abduction case, the female actor who was sexually assaulted in February 2017 has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressing concern over the SPP's decision to quit the case. In her letter, the actor stated that the fate of her case was left in 'jeopardy' after two Public Prosecutors quit the high-profile case, which names Malayalam actor Dileep as an accused. 

Requesting CM Vijayan to appoint a capable SPP at the earliest, she has demanded that allegations raised by a man named Balachandra Kumar against Dileep also be probed. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Kerala Director General of Police (DGP).

The actor's letter comes days after the new Special Public Prosecutor appointed in the 2017 case also quit. VN Anilkumar resigned last week, protesting against the attitude of the judge. This was the second time that an SSP appointed in the high-profile case resigned. The first one had quit just days after the Kerala HC rejected the survivor's plea to change the trial court judge. Importantly, the case is at a crucial stage of hearing with the second extension of six months nearing. The Kerala High Court has fixed February 16 as the deadline to end the case. 

Kerala actor abduction case

In the year 2017, Malayalam actor Dileep was accused of plotting the abduction and sexual assault of a celebrated Malayalam actor by four men in a moving vehicle. The actor has been named as the eighth accused in the case. The witnesses in the case had earlier revealed that Dileep and the female actor had a heated feud at the rehearsals of an AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) event. He had allegedly paid the four men to abduct and assault the actor, and even ordered them to take videos of the assault as proof, in order to exact revenge upon her and “teach her a lesson.” Dileep was arrested in July 2017 and released two months later on bail. Several of the actors like Bindu Panicker, Siddique, and Bhama, examined by the court in the trial had also turned hostile in the case. The next hearing is scheduled for January 4.

(Image- PTI)