Actor seeks discharge in actress sexual assault case

Actor Dileep, an accused in the abduction and sexual assault of a known South Indian actress, has sought discharge from the case.

Dileep, who is the eighth accused in the case, filed an appeal at the trial court in Kochi on Tuesday seeking discharge. Dileep, who was recently allowed to review the footage of the alleged crime, maintained in the petition that there was no evidence to prosecute him in the case.

The CBI court in Kochi, which was earlier designated as the trial court for the case, considered the petition and directed that the details of the petition should not be made public.

The actress was abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang in a vehicle in Kochi in 2017 February. The gang was allegedly engaged by the actor to settle personal scores with the actress. The gang allegedly shot the video of the assault also, which is the crucial evidence in the case.

Even as the SC earlier declined the actor's request for a copy of the video footage for defence purposes, the court declined the request citing the privacy of the victim. But the actor was allowed to see the video footage along with technical experts but under tight surveillance against copying it. Dileep had undergone two-month judicial remand in the case.