Actress assault case trial to begin Nov 10, Manju Warrier not to be questioned now

Dileep, Balachandra Kumar, Manju Warrier

Kochi: The trial of the actress assault case will resume on November 10, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court said on Thursday.

The trial court has also fixed the time schedule for examining the witnesses. Thirty-nine witnesses will be examined in the first phase and summons have already been sent to them.

Director Balachandra Kumar, whose revelations led to a reinvestigation of the case, will also be heard by the court.

Meanwhile, the court held that actress Manju Warrier, the former wife of accused Dileep, need not be questioned for now.

Earlier, the court framed charges against actor Dileep and his friend Sarath for destroying key evidence in the case. The duo had denied the charges.

According to the investigation team, Balachandra Kumar was present when Sarath brought to Dileep's house a phone bearing the footage of the sexual assault of the actress in a vehicle.

The team had also informed the court that there were WhatsApp messages and digital evidence to back Balachandra Kumar's claims.

The 2017 actress assault case refers to the abduction and sexual assault of a leading South Indian actress near Kochi.

She was returning home from a shoot and was assaulted sexually by a gang of men after the latter intercepted her car.

Dileep was subsequently arrested after it emerged that he had links with the main accused. He was released on bail in October 2017.

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