With the COVID-19 lockdown upsetting its schedule, the Additional Sessions Court trying the female actor rape and abduction case has sought extension of the deadline set for completing the trial in the case.
The deadline fixed by the Supreme Court had expired in April. The nearly three-month-long lockdown and the slow pace of the proceedings in the post-COVID days had upset the schedule fixed by the apex court, said judicial sources.
The police had arraigned actor Dileep and a few others as accused in the case. The police case is that the accused kidnapped the female actor and raped her in a moving car. The accused also recorded the offence using a mobile phone, according to the police.
Incidentally, CBI Special Judge, Ernakulam, Honey M. Varghese was given the additional responsibility of trying the case following an order from the Kerala High Court. It was on a petition from the victim seeking a woman judicial officer to try the case that the High Court had appointed Ms. Varghese, also an Additional Sessions Judge, to try the case.
Meanwhile, Ms. Varghese, who has been transferred to Kozhikode as part of the general transfer of judicial officers, is expected to assume charge on July 1. Though the transfer of Ms. Varghese was finalised along with the other judicial officers, the registry of the Kerala High Court had not posted any other judicial officer to replace her.
The woman judicial officer was appointed for trying the case following an order of the Kerala High Court. Moreover, a directive of the Supreme Court for the completion of the trial on a time-bound manner also exists in the case. Hence, a decision on the replacement of the judicial officer would be decided by the High Court shortly, judicial sources said.
Even if the officer who had tried the case is moved out, the one who replaces her can resume the proceedings from where she has left. There need not be any delay in resuming the proceedings, sources said.