New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the trial in the sexual assault case of an actress, in which popular Malayalam actor Dileep is an accused.
The trial will remain stayed until the conclusion of the proceedings in the Supreme Court. Dileep had filed a petition in the court for access to the memory card that contains video footage of the alleged sexual assault. The plea was earlier turned down by the Kerala High Court.
The Kerala government, which opposed Dileep's plea, requested the court to give it time to confirm whether the memory card could be considered as a document or material evidence.
A two-judge Supreme Court bench, chaired by Justice A M Khanwilkar, said the court will take up the case after the summer vacation in July.
In his petition, Dileep argued that he has a right to get evidence relating to the case and this includes the memory card in which the attack visuals, captured by main accused Pulsar Suni, have been stored.
Senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Dileep, argued that the actor has a right to access all kinds of evidence that prosecution is producing against him.
The Kerala government had last month told the SC that it will not press for framing of charges against Dileep before the trial court in the case till his pending plea in the apex court is decided.
Dileep has argued before the apex court that the copy of the footage of the incident is "very essential and crucial" for him to prove his innocence in the case. Dileep maintains the visuals had been manipulated and doctored to frame him.
The government of Kerala has, however, opposed his plea for the copy of the visuals and accused him of being the "chief conspirator".
The government's counsel observed there is no requirement under law to share all the material with the accused.
The south Indian actress was abducted and assaulted in a moving car on February 17, 2017. Dileep was arrested in July same year in connection with the case.
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