The Kerala High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by two women executive committee members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) seeking to implead themselves in a petition for setting up a special court headed by a woman judge to conduct the trial in the sexual assault case against actor Dileep and other accused.
However, counsel for the survivor, a woman actor, took exception to their move.
When the petition by Rachana M. and Honey Rose, which said they wanted to espouse the cause of the survivor, came up for hearing, M. Ajay, counsel for the survivor, submitted that she could “stand on her own legs”.
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He said the survivor had already resigned from AMMA. Entry of a large member of cine-goers into a cinema might ensure the success of a movie.
However, allowing these committee members to implead themselves in the case would “not enhance the merit of the case”.
In their petition, the executive committee members also sought the appointment of a special public prosecutor to conduct the trial in the case.
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In order to secure the ends of justice, a reputed criminal lawyer of at least 25 years’ standing should be appointed as a special public prosecutor to conduct the case. They also supported the plea of the victim to shift the court venue from Kochi to Thrissur, the home town of the survivor.
Senior government pleader Suman Chakravarthy submitted that a special public prosecutor had already been appointed in consultation with the survivor. He said the request for establishment of a special court headed by a woman judge had been addressed to the High Court Registry and a reply was awaited.
The court posted the case to August 17 to enable counsel for the survivor to file a petition taking objection to the impleadment petition.
Meanwhile, the court adjourned to August 16 a petition filed by Dileep seeking a CBI probe in the case.