Actress assault case: No permission to re-examine witnesses, HC declines prosecution's demand, Dileep files plea seeking restraint of media reports

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has declined the prosecution's demand to re-examine three witnesses in the actress assault case. Earlier, certain reports had claimed that the court had allowed the re-examination of the witnesses. However, the order issued on the high court's website did not mention this. As per the order, the court gave permission to examine five new witnesses.

Meanwhile, actor Dileep has approached the high court seeking restraint of the media from publishing the details of the trial. Justice Kauser Edappagath on Monday considered two petitions submitted by the prosecution in connection with the case. The first petition sought permission to examine 12 witnesses. The reports had claimed that the court gave permission to examine 8 more witnesses. However, the order issued on the website stated that no permission was given to re-examine three witnesses.

The high court gave permission to examine 5 new witnesses. The new witnesses are Nileesha, Kannadasan, Suresh D, Usha and Sathyamoorthy. Earlier, the trial court had given permission to re-examine three witnesses. Although the trial court gave permission to summon two witnesses and include one more person in the list of witnesses, the prosecution approached the high court seeking permission to summon more witnesses. The high court also directed the state to appoint a special prosecutor in the case within 10 days.