Kerala court acquits Dileep, six others convicted in actress assault case
Kerala court acquits Dileep, six others convicted in actress assault case
A Kerala court acquitted actor Dileep in the 2017 kidnapping and assault, while six co-accused including Pulsar Suni were found guilty.
In a high-profile verdict from Kochi, a Kerala court acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 case of kidnapping and alleged sexual assault of a fellow actress. The Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court held that the prosecution failed to prove the charge of conspiracy against Dileep, even as six other accused, including Sunil N. S., alias Pulsar Suni, were found guilty of the crime. A detailed order is awaited as the judge, Honey M Varghese, pronounced the verdict after concluding the trial on November 25.
The incident at the heart of the case dates back to February 17, 2017, when the actress was abducted and allegedly molested inside a moving car in a busy Kochi area, after which the assailants fled. The trial began in January 2020 and unfolded through a series of twists that kept public attention riveted for years. Dileep had been arrested in July 2017 and spent 88 days in prison before securing bail. He later sought a CBI probe, a plea that was dismissed, and the overall process followed a timeline urged by higher courts to conclude within a six-month frame, as directed by the Supreme Court.
While the court refused to convict Dileep on conspiracy grounds, it found six other accused guilty, including Pulsar Suni, who directly participated in the crime. The verdict underscores the division between rulings on direct involvement and on the broader alleged collusion, leaving room for future appeals and sentencing proceedings. The case has continued to resonate across the film industry and among survivors who have watched the legal process unfold with intense public scrutiny.
Advocacy groups linked to cinema and survivor support bodies have kept a close eye on developments, emphasizing the impact on conversations around accountability in the industry. The detailed order will spell out the specific charges for the convicted defendants and the next steps in the judicial process.
Cover image source: Court to deliver verdict in actor Dileep rape case on December 8 🔗
