Kerala HC impleads survivor in case filed by actor Dileep

The survivor said since she was a de facto complainant in the sexual assault case, she became and interested party in the case filed by Dileep

The Kerala High Court on Monday allowed the plea of the survivor in the actor sexual assault case to implead her in the petition moved by actor Dileep, challenging the investigation being conducted in connection with the alleged conspiracy to murder the investigation officers in the assault case.

The court impleaded the survivor as the third respondent in the petition. In her petition, she said that she was a de facto complainant in the sexual assault case, therefore, she was an interested party in the instant case filed by Dileep, the eighth accused in the sexual assault case.

She pleaded for impleading her as an additional third respondent in the case in the interest of justice as otherwise, it would cause "irreparable loss and hardship" to her.

She also pointed out that the Supreme Court, in several cases, had held that the accused did not have any say in the matter of investigation. Therefore, he had no right to be heard while ordering a further probe. The accused had no 'locus standi' to challenge the proceedings of the trial court, she added.

Further investigation has been launched by the crime branch, following the revelation by director Balachandra Kumar regarding the hatching of a conspiracy to finish off the investigation officers. The trial court, while granting permission to conduct further investigation, had also directed the police to complete the probe on or before March 1. Dileep, in his petition, had sought to quash the investigation into the case.