Kerala court acquits actor Dileep in 2017 actress abduction and assault case; six accused convicted
PTC Web Desk: In a major development in the 2017 actress abduction and assault case, a Kerala court on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish his role in the crime. The verdict was delivered by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court, nearly eight years after the shocking incident.
While Dileep and three others were cleared of all charges, six co-accused were convicted of rape and criminal conspiracy. The convicted individuals include Sunil NS (Pulsar Suni), Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh VP, Salim H, and Pradeep. The remaining three, Charly Thomas, Sanil Kumar (Mesthri Sanil and Sharath, were acquitted.
Speaking moments after the verdict, Dileep, who attended the hearing in person, said, “This was a conspiracy against me. I thank my lawyers and everyone who supported me.”
The survivor, whose determination in pursuing the case brought national focus to the incident, was also present in court.
The case dates back to February 2017, when the actress, a well-known face in Malayalam and Tamil cinema, was abducted and sexually assaulted for nearly two hours inside her car by a group of men. The prosecution had argued that the attack was executed as part of a larger conspiracy allegedly involving Dileep, who was also accused of destroying evidence during the trial. He has repeatedly denied all allegations.
The lengthy trial saw 261 witnesses, including several prominent film personalities, being examined over 438 days. However, 28 witnesses turned hostile, significantly affecting the prosecution’s arguments. The case also witnessed the resignation of two special prosecutors and the court’s refusal to replace the presiding judge despite a request from the survivor.
In total, the prosecution produced 833 documents and 142 material pieces of evidence, while the defence submitted 221 documents.
- With inputs from agencies
