Actor Dileep is set to hear the verdict in the 2017 Malayalam actress abduction and assault case. The court will decide on serious charges, including kidnapping, gang rape, and criminal conspiracy.
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After nearly eight years of suspense and courtroom battles, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court delivered its long-awaited verdict on Monday in one of Kerala’s most shocking criminal cases involving the film industry. Judge Honey M Varghese announced that six of the accused, including Sunil NS, better known as Pulsar Suni, were found guilty, while popular Malayalam actor Dileep, listed as the eighth accused, was acquitted.
The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the conspiracy charges against Dileep. It cleared him of the allegations that he planned the crime and hired a gang to execute it.
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However the guilty verdict against the others underlines the severity of the crime that rocked the Malayalam film fraternity in 2017.
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On the night of February 17, 2017, a prominent Malayalam actress known for her work in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu films faced a terrifying ordeal. She was reportedly travelling alone from Thrissur to Ernakulam when a vehicle deliberately rammed her car near Angamaly.
According to police and prosecution reports, a group of men forced their way into her vehicle, kidnapped her, and drove along the national highway. During this time, the first accused, Pulsar Suni, allegedly sexually assaulted the actress and recorded the crime on his mobile phone. The survivor was eventually abandoned near a film director’s house while the assailants escaped.
The attack lasted several hours and left the survivor traumatised, sparking widespread outrage in Kerala and across India.
The list of accused reads like a shocking roll call from the film world and the criminal underworld combined.
Sunil NS (Pulsar Suni): Considered the main planner of the crime and the first accused.
Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh VP, Salim H (Vadival Salim), Pradeep, Charly Thomas, Sanilkumar (Mesthiri Sanil), G Sarath: Other accused involved in the abduction and assault.
P Gopalakrishnan (Actor Dileep): The eighth accused alleged to have orchestrated the attack hiring the gang.
The charges were severe ranging from criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, gang rape, criminal intimidation, destroying evidence, aiding offenders in escaping; some of the harshest sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The trial began in March 2018 and spanned several years. In total 261 witnesses were questioned; many in closed sessions to protect their identities. Among them were well-known personalities from the film industry. Out of all the witnesses, 28 eventually turned hostile complicating the proceedings further.
The trial also faced procedural challenges. Two special public prosecutors resigned mid-way, and a plea to change the judge was denied.
The prosecution submitted more than 800 documents and over 140 pieces of tangible evidence. The defence presented hundreds of documents in response. Simply recording the witness statements alone took over 438 days.
Actor Dileep who is one of the most influential figures in Malayalam cinema was accused of being the mastermind behind the crime. Allegations claimed he conspired to hire a gang to abduct and assault the actress.
However the court found insufficient evidence to prove Dileep’s involvement in planning the attack.
While acquitted in this particular case, he continues to face scrutiny due to separate allegations of violating some bail conditions.
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