Survivor Bhavana has spoken out after Dileep’s acquittal, criticising the trial court for its handling of evidence and the legal process. She shared her years of struggle, talking about how justice was delayed and the challenges she faced as a survivor.
File Photo: IANS
Nearly a week after the Kerala actor assault case verdict that acquitted Dileep, actress Bhavana has broken her silence. In a social media post, she expressed her disappointment with how the trial was handled. She said, “Not every citizen in this country is treated equally before the law.”
On December 8, Judge Honey M Varghese of the Principal District and Session Court in Ernakulam convicted six people for abducting and sexually assaulting Bhavana.
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However, actor Dileep, who was accused of orchestrating the crime, was acquitted.
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Bhavana revealed that her doubts about the trial involving Dileep started as early as 2020. “I began to feel that something was not right. Even the prosecution noticed changes in the way the case was being handled, especially when it came to one particular accused,” she wrote.
Despite requesting a woman judge to hear her case, the years that followed were filled with challenges. Bhavana alleged that both she and the prosecution faced hostility from the court making a fair trial increasingly difficult.
On December 14, Bhavana released a detailed statement highlighting six reasons why she felt justice was not served in the trial court:
1. Violation of Fundamental Rights: Bhavana claimed that the most crucial evidence, the memory card, was illegally accessed three times while in court custody.
2. Hostile Court Environment: Two public prosecutors resigned stating that the court environment had turned hostile towards them. They allegedly warned Bhavana not to expect justice in this court.
3. Ignored Requests for Investigation: She repeatedly demanded a proper inquiry into the memory card tampering. The report was never handed over to her despite her persistent efforts.
4. Doubts About Judicial Continuity: While Bhavana sought a fair trial, the accused requested that the same judge continue hearing the case raising further doubts in her mind.
5. Appeals to National Leaders: Bhavana even wrote to the President and Prime Minister of India expressing her concerns and seeking intervention.
6. Denied Public Proceedings: She requested open court hearings so the public and media could witness the trial. But the court denied this request.
Bhavana also wrote, “Over the years, I approached the High Court and the Supreme Court multiple times, clearly stating that I did not trust this court. Every request to move this case away from the same judge was dismissed. This verdict made me realise how strongly human judgement can shape decisions.”
Bhavana also clarified misinformation circulating about one of the convicted individuals, Pulsar Soni. “He was not my driver, not my employee, and not someone I knew. He was a random person assigned as a driver for a movie I worked on in 2016. I met him only once or twice during that time and never again until the day this crime happened. Please stop spreading false stories!”
While the verdict may have disappointed her, Bhavana’s strong stance and refusal to be silenced continue to inspire. She has not just spoken for herself but for many who have faced injustice in silence.
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