Spin-off issues involving the police and the investigation officer (IO) are taking the centre stage in the actor rape case as the proceedings in the rape case have been put on hold.
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On Monday, the special court is likely to consider four issues, including a report from the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) on how an application of the IO to the court had found its way to the news telecast of a TV Channel. Petitions seeking permission for initiating contempt of court proceedings against the IO and the editor of a TV channel are likely to come up before the court on the day. A report sought by the court from the IO on the documents allegedly found in the mobile phone of actor Dileep and their relevance in the current case is likely to be submitted on Monday. The prosecution may move a petition seeking extension of time for completing the further investigation in the case as the deadline had expired on April 15.
It has been almost three months since the trial in the rape case has been put on hold. The trial was kept in abeyance after the prosecution moved a petition seeking time for conducting further investigation in the case citing the reported revelations by a filmmaker that Dileep, the eighth accused in the case, had conspired with some of his relatives to harm the IO. The revelations by the filmmaker came days before the IO was to be examined as the key prosecution witness in the case.
Secrecy of investigation
The court sought the report from the ADGP as the judge was dissatisfied by the “vague” reply filed by the IO on how his application to the court was telecast by the TV channel. A petition of the prosecution seeking to cancel the bail plea of Dileep was aired in another news channel recently as the court was about to consider the application. Incidentally, the court had asked the IO and the prosecution to maintain the secrecy of the investigation.
The IO is also supposed to explain to the court, his authority to conduct investigation and question the court staff in connection with the allegation that certain court documents were found in the mobile phone of Dileep.