Setback to Dileep: SC says prosecution can re-examine Manju Warrier in actress assault case

Two affidavits, filed one after another in the actor assault case of Kerala, are related to re-assess few witnesses, which include Manju Warrier, actor and former wife of the alleged mastermind in the case, Dileep. 

The first affidavit, filed by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the Kerala government, requests the Supreme Court to allow the reexamination of witnesses, which includes Manju. 

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The other affidavit, filed by Dileep, the eighth accused in the actor assault case, requests the Supreme Court to strike down the additional list of witnesses produced by the prosecution. The report filed by the SPP says that, "Due to unusually lengthy cross-examination of witnesses by the counsel for A8 (Dileep) and A15 only, out of 39 witnesses, only 29 of them could be examined up to February 13." 

The report stated that Balachandrakumar, a filmmaker whose revelations towards the end of 2021 led to further investigation into the case, has health issues needing him to undergo a surgery. Also, his cross-examination by the counsel for the accused got adjourned and scrapped because of the inconvenience of the defense counsels.

Dileep, in his affidavit, claims that the investigating agency, the prosecuting agency, and the prosecutrix in the case are hand in gloves with each other and deliberately defeating the orders of the court and delaying the trial.

In the affidavit, Dileep alleged that Manju Warrier should not get re-examined by the court. The reasons given by the prosecution for it are false. However, on the flip side, the government in their affidavit, has explained the significance of re-assessing four witnesses in the case, including Manju Warrier. The government also argued in the court that Dileep was trying to prevent the prosecution from producing evidence against him.

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