Kerala Actor Dileep Acquitted in High-Profile Sexual Assault Case: Examining the 9-Year Legal Battle and Its Impact on Malayalam Cinema

A Kerala court has fully acquitted actor Dileep of all charges in a case that has captivated public attention for nearly nine years.

The high-profile legal battle involving the alleged orchestration of a prominent Kerala actor's abduction and sexual assault has created significant turmoil within the Malayalam film industry.

While six defendants were convicted, Dileep was cleared of all allegations against him.

Following the verdict, Dileep stated that the accusations were part of a coordinated effort to damage his reputation and professional career.

The incident that occurred on February 17, 2017, sent shockwaves through Kerala when a well-known Malayalam film actress was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle near Kochi.

According to her testimony, the 20-year-old actress was traveling from Thrissur to Kochi when another vehicle collided with her car from behind.

Following a confrontation, two men entered her vehicle, threatened the driver, and instructed him to continue toward Kochi.

The actress reported being held against her will for approximately two hours during which she was sexually assaulted.

The perpetrators also captured photographs for potential blackmail before fleeing the scene.

The traumatized actress sought assistance at a director's residence, who subsequently contacted law enforcement.

During the investigation, authorities identified Sunil Kumar, known as Pulsar Suni, as the primary suspect.

Allegations claimed that Dileep masterminded the crime as an act of revenge because the actress had allegedly informed his then-wife, Manju Warrier, about his extramarital relationship.

Manju Warrier confirmed this information in court, and prosecutors argued that the sexual assault was Dileep's retaliatory action.

Dileep consistently denied these allegations.

He was arrested on July 10, 2017, and released on bail after approximately three months in custody.

The trial commenced the following year but faced numerous obstacles, including delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigators examined 261 witnesses throughout the proceedings.

The prosecution's case was undermined when several key witnesses recanted their earlier statements.

Three individuals initially implicated later became state witnesses.

In 2021, filmmaker P Balachandrakumar made new allegations that Dileep and his associates had attempted to influence witnesses and target investigating officers, causing the trial to be temporarily suspended.

Additional charges of evidence tampering were filed against Dileep in 2022.

Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese found six of the ten defendants guilty of various charges including rape, conspiracy, and abduction.

The convicted individuals include Pulsar Suni, Marting Antony, B Manikandan, VP Vijeesh, H Saleem, and C Pradeep.

Dileep and three others were acquitted, with the court stating there was insufficient evidence to prove he orchestrated the crime.

Kerala's ruling CPM party has announced that the state government intends to appeal the verdict in the High Court to secure justice for the survivor.

Sentencing for those convicted will be announced on Friday.

This case has exposed significant gender inequalities within the Malayalam film industry and led to the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective, an organization advocating for gender equality in the sector.

In response to the assault and subsequent public outrage, the Kerala government established the Justice Hema Committee to assess working conditions in the film industry.

The committee recommended implementing complaint mechanisms, gender-sensitive guidelines, and Internal Complaints Committees on film sets.

While Dileep's acquittal has disappointed many in the film community, the case has successfully drawn attention to important gender issues within the industry.