A court in Ernakulam issued a bailable arrest warrant against Malayalam actor Kunchacko Boban for failing to appear before it for witness examination in actress assault case on Friday, ANI reported.
Boban was supposed to testify in the trial on Friday, but he was unable to make it as he is shooting for a film in Kodaikanal. According to reports, Boban has been asked to appear before the court on March 4. For failing to appear before the court on the scheduled date, the court decided to issue a bailable warrant against him. The warrant was handed over to police officials of Nedumbassery Police Station where the actress abduction case was registered, The New Indian Express reported. Actresses Geetu Mohandas and Samyukta Varma also arrived at court on Friday. However, the court only recorded statements of Geetu. The decision was taken considering that Samyukta's testimony related to the case is similar to one made by Geetu. Director Shreekumar Menon will also depose before the court on March 4.
Actress Manju Warrier deposed before the court on Thursday. The trial in the controversial actress assault and abuse case of 2017 is began on January 30. The court will examine 137 witnesses in total.
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On January 6, the trial court framed charges against Malayalam film actor Dileep and other accused in the case including Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikantan, Vijesh, Saleem, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, Sanal Kumar and Vishnu. The Court had dismissed a plea filed by Dileep, seeking to exclude him from the list of accused. The Court had admitted the prosecution argument that there is prima facie evidence against him in the crime and dismissed the plea of the actor, who is eighth accused in the case. The court had also not allowed a plea by the actor to grant him 10 days time to file the appeal in a higher court in the light of the Supreme Court order in November 2019 that the trial should be completed in six months.
On December 19 last year, Dileep, along with his lawyers and a technical expert, had examined the contents of the electronic records at the closed room of the court. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that the actor be allowed to inspect the records to enable him to present an effective defence during the trial.
In February 2017, the actress was allegedly abducted and molested by the accused. Seven people, including the key accused 'Pulsar' Suni were arrested in connection with the actress' abduction case. There are 10 accused in the case. The entire act had allegedly taken place in a moving vehicle, which was filmed by the accused to blackmail her. Dileep was subsequently arrested and arrayed as an accused in connection with offences under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act.
-with inputs from PTI
