Kochi: The report on the further investigation into the 2017 actress assault case will be submitted in the trial court on Thursday.
The Crime Branch had decided to carry out further probe into the case recently in the wake of the revelations made by film director Balachandrakumar.
A total of 203 witnesses have been examined so far. But of these, 20 crucial prosecution witnesses had turned hostile. The statements of 20 new witnesses were taken during the renewed probe. The follow-up investigation is progressing based on their revelations and more time is needed, according to the investigation team.
The probe team will also submit in court the details regarding the appointment of a new special prosecutor in the case.
Two special prosecutors had resigned in the course of the probe in the last five years. The process of appointing the third special prosecutor is in the final stage.
Meanwhile, the investigation officer is yet to be examined.
The deadline set by the court for submitting the probe report ended on March 1.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) S Sreejith is supervising investigation in the case. The police held further inquiry in the case as per the directives of the Kerala High Court.
Three lines of new probe
Three police teams were set up to conduct further investigations taking into account the new twists and turns in the case, including Balachandrakumar's disclosures.
One team has been inquiring about the allegation of Balachandrakumar that a conspiracy was hatched to make a bid on the life of a member of the police inquiry team and the statement of prime accused Pulsar Suni that his life in the jail was not safe.
The second team investigated the film director's revelation that actor Dileep, an accused, knew Pulsar Suni prior to the attack on the actress and both of them had maintained a close relationship.
The third investigation team was probing the allegation that many prosecution witnesses in the case were influenced by the accused to turn hostile in the court.
