Actress assault case: Second phase witness examination to begin tomorrow

Kochi: The proceedings for the second phase of the witness examination in the 2017 actress assault case would begin on Thursday. 

Along with the supplementary charge-sheet, a list of 102 new witnesses has been submitted in court. Both the prosecution and the defence are preparing to examine at least 60 witnesses.

During the first phase of witness examination, the prosecution had submitted a plea to examine 9 additional witnesses but permission was granted for the examination of just 5.

The prosecution plans to re-examine some of the witnesses. But the defence has objected to this. 

Several witnesses, including Alappuzha native Sagar Vincent, had turned hostile during the first phase of witness examination.

He later gave a confidential statement before the magistrate court. The confidential statement reportedly clarifies under what circumstances Sagar Vincent, who had been a prosecution witness, changed his statements. The confidential statement of Sagar Vincent is apparently the trump card of the prosecution in the second phase witness examination.

The court had also recorded the confidential statements of the mother of the first accused N S Sunil Kumar (alias Pulsar Suni). 

The confidential statements and direct examination of film director P Balachandrakumar, whose revelations led to the further investigation in the case, are crucial for the prosecution in the second phase witness examination.

The court had ended the first phase trial proceedings, even as the examination of probe officer DySP Baiju Paulose was pending. During the second phase, it is estimated that at least 100 days would be needed to examine 60 witnesses.

Honey M Varghese is the trial court judge. The new special public prosecutor in the case is V Ajakumar, who was appointed after A Sureshan and V N Anilkumar resigned from the post, objecting to the stance of the trial court. K B Sunil Kumar continues to be the additional public prosecutor.