Kochi, Feb 25 (IANS): The Kerala High Court on Monday accepted the plea for a woman judge to try the infamous actress abduction case in which superstar Dileep is an accused.

Ruling in favour of the actress's petition seeking a woman judge, the court picked Honey Varghese, presently a judge in the special court for Central Bureau of Investigation cases, for conducting the trial.

It directed that the trial should be completed in nine months time.

The court on Monday dismissed Dileep's petition seeking to be made party in the hearing on the actress's petition and also dismissed prime accused Pulsar Suni's petition against a woman judge.

The young actress was allegedly abducted on February 17, 2017 while she was on way to Kochi from Thrissur. Suni drove her around for two hours around Kochi before she was dropped near the home of director-actor Lal, who informed the police.

Dileep was arrested after two rounds of questioning on July 10, 2017, for his alleged role in the conspiracy hatched for the abduction. He secured bail after being in jail for 85 days.

His former wife Manju Warrier is one of the witnesses in the case.