Malayalam actor Dileep, an accused in the 2017 case relating to the sexual assault of an actress, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking to bar media from publishing the details of the case.
Dileep, accused of plotting the crime and later also conspiring to eliminate the police officers who investigated the case, approached the court saying the media have not been following instructions to not cover the in-camera proceedings.
The actor has requested the court to direct the media to stay away from publishing details of the case.
Dileep said both the investigating and the prosecuting agencies have "abandoned the trial in a court" and filed the petition against the state police chief, the investigating officer and a private television channel.
He said an "in camera trial" was mandated under 327 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code for the offence charged against him and the printing and publishing of the proceedings were unlawful.
"They (investigating and prosecuting agencies) have sponsored and resorted to media trials as the same has no accountability and can be easily sponsored especially in a period where fake news and forms of unethical journalism are prevalent and it is easy to choose a suitable media house and use their services to propagate falsehood about the trial of the case," the petition said.
The actor also submitted that not only the private TV channel but other media-- including print, digital and social media -- are now printing and publishing matters which amounts to criminal contempt.
Dileep moved the high court the day it allowed the prosecution to summon five new witnesses in the ongoing trial.
Besides, it also directed the Director General of Prosecution to depute a new Special Public Prosecutor or find another alternative arrangement to to conduct the case on behalf of the prosecution.
It also directed to ensure the examination of the witnesses and production of the documents is done within 10 days.
Incidentally, the trial in the case suffered a jolt when the special public prosecutor (SPP) relinquished his post.
This is the second time that the SPP has relinquished during the trial in this case.
The case got a fresh twist recently after film director Balachandra Kumar made a disclosure in which he said after being released on bail, Dileep saw the visuals of the victim being molested.
Based on this disclosure, the police probe team registered a fresh case Dileep sought an anticipatory bail after this.
The bail plea will be heard on Tuesday.
The police had informed the court last week, that until this is heard, the actor will not be arrested. Dileep was arrested in 2017 and lodged in prison in the case. After two months in jail, he was released on bail.
