[Actor Assault Case] Kerala High Court Rejects Plea Seeking Cancellation Of Dileep's Bail

The Kerala High Court has rejected a plea by the Crime Branch seeking to cancel the bail granted to actor Dileep who is an accused in the abduction and sexual assault case of an actress.

A single judge bench of Justice Sophy Thomas stated that the “trial court has made some observations and findings in their order which may tend to appear that the learned judges made up their mind as to the destruction of evidence and influencing, threatening the witnesses etc. alleged by prosecution”.

“It is clarified that the findings and observations made in the trial court in their order as only for the purpose of disposal of criminal appeal and it shall not affect appreciation of evidence in SC 118/2018 (main case)” added the court.

The bench went on to add that the sessions judge has to appreciate the available facts and evidence in the case pending before it independently, and unaffected by any of the observations and findings in trial court order.

In 2017, a popular actress was abducted and raped in a moving vehicle pursuant to a conspiracy, allegedly plotted by Dileep. Being the 8th accused in the case, he is now undergoing trial before the CBI Special Judge.

It was alleged that Dileep had attempted to tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses after being released on bail. The state government had approached the trial court with a demand to cancel Dileep's bail which was rejected. Aggrieved by this, the state government has approached the High Court.

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Ker) 135

Case Number: Crl MC 5308/ 2022

Case Title: State of Kerala v. P Gopalakrishnan alias Dileep