Another setback for actor Dileep as Kerala HC rejects plea for copy of assault video

Rejecting Dileep’s plea, the Kerala high court said there was no guarantee that the content of the video will not be misused to put undue pressure on the victim

Malayalam actor Dileep suffered another setback on Tuesday after the Kerala high court dismissed his plea seeking copies of video footage of the assault on the woman actor.

File photo of Malyalam actor Dileep in Kochi. (PTI Photo)

Dileep, an accused in case of the abduction and assault of the woman actor, moved an application in the court, saying he has a right to examine the authenticity of the video purportedly shot by a criminal gang.

Rejecting his plea, the court said there was no guarantee that the content of the video will not be misused to put undue pressure on the victim. It also said that the victim has every right to protect her privacy.

The prosecution and the state government had opposed his plea saying he was raising unnecessary objections to delay the case.

Dileep had filed another plea in the high court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the case.

The woman actor was allegedly abducted and assaulted by a gang in a moving car near Kochi in February 2017. They set her free after three hours but threatened to circulate a video of the assault if she approached the police. However, she filed a complaint the same day.

Dileep was arrested after five months on charges of hiring a criminal gang to settle personal scores with her and made eighth accused in the case.