Kochi: Malayalam film actor Dileep on Friday requested the Supreme Court to suspend the trial in the actress assault case.
Dileep requested the apex court to stop the trial at additional special sessions court in Ernakulam, until the forensic results of the visuals come out.
As the trial is underway, Dileep's petition should be considered with the required urgency, senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi told the Supreme Court bench headed by Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar.
Upholding a trial before the results of the forensic examination violates basic legal rights. This would be against the SC order, Rohatgi said.
Following this, the apex court decided to examine the actor's petition next Friday.
The visuals have been sent to the Central Forensic Lab for examination. The apex court had permitted Dileep to send the visuals to a forensic authority for testing its authenticity.
The trial court on January 6 framed charges against Dileep and nine other accused in the case of alleged abduction and molestation of a south Indian actress in 2017. All of them have denied the charges.
The Court had dismissed a plea filed by Dileep, seeking to exclude him from the list of accused.
The Court had admitted the prosecution argument that there is prima facie evidence against him in the crime and dismissed the plea of the actor, who is eighth accused in the case.
On December 19, Dileep, along with his lawyers and a technical expert, had examined the contents of the electronic records at the closed room of the court.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that the actor be allowed to inspect the records to enable him to present an effective defence during the trial.
In February 2017, a popular South Indian actress was allegedly abducted and molested by the accused. Seven people, including the key accused 'Pulsar' Suni were arrested in connection with the actress' abduction case.
The entire act had allegedly taken place in a moving vehicle, which was filmed by the accused to blackmail her.
Dileep was subsequently arrested and arrayed as an accused in connection with offences under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act.
The top court had directed that the trial in case be concluded expeditiously, preferably within six months from the date of the judgement. A woman judge is hearing the case.
In February 2019, the High Court, while considering a plea seeking to transfer the case to a Sessions Court headed by a woman judge to conduct the trial, had ordered the CBI special court Judge-III Ernakulam Honey M Varghese to complete the trial expeditiously.
(With inputs from PTI.)
