Actor abduction case trial begins

Kochi: The trial proceedings in the actor abduction case began at the Ernakulam District Principal Sessions court here on Wednesday when the victim moved a petition seeking to conduct the trial in-camera.

In her petition submitted through a private lawyer, she also sought the trial to be held in a special court to be presided by a woman judge besides prohibiting media from publishing reports on the trial proceedings.

The court, however, noted that the private lawyer appointed by the victim could only assist the public prosecutor and hence directed her to route the petition through the latter.

The petition is now slated for consideration on March 28 when the court will also decide on the date and schedule of the trial. The court asked all the accused to present before it on the day.

Earlier in the day, actor Dileep, the eighth accused in the case and Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni aka Sunilkumar, the first accused, were among those appeared before the court based on a summons issued earlier.

The counsels for the accused submitted that the prosecution was yet to hand over several relevant documents including the medical examination certificate of the victim, a charge denied by the special prosecutor.

The court then directed the counsels to submit a list of the documents to be handed over except the visuals of the assault.