Actress assault case: Manju Warrier to be summoned again for trial

Dileep, Manju Warrier. Photo: Manorama News

Kochi: Top cine artist Manju Warrier will be summoned again for trial over the 2017 actress assault case in which her former husband, Dileep, is an accused.

This was announced by the investigation team on Tuesday.

The case will be heard again on November 3. A trial date will be decided then.

The development comes in the wake of Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court framing charges against Dileep and his friend Sarath for destroying evidence.

The duo had denied the charges, but the investigation team believes that the statements of Manju Warrier, also an actress, and director P Balachandra Kumar will help pin the two.

According to them, director Balachandra Kumar was present when Sarath brought to Dileep's house a phone bearing the footage of the sexual assault of the actress in a vehicle.

The team had also informed the court that there were WhatsApp messages and digital evidence to back Balachandra Kumar's claims.

The 2017 actress assault case refers to the abduction and sexual assault of a leading South Indian actress near Kochi.

She was returning home from a shoot and was assaulted sexually by a gang of men after the latter intercepted her car.

Dileep was subsequently arrested after it emerged that he had links with the main accused. He was released on bail in October 2017.

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