The Ernakulam principal sessions court on Monday absolved actor Dileep of all criminal charges leveled against him in the 2017 sensational Kerala actress sexual assault case.
The sessions judge Honey M Varghese, acquitting Dileep (P Gopalakrishnan) of the offences charged against him, held that the prosecution could not prove the conspiracy charges leveled against him. The court, however, found six others, who directly committed the crime, guilty in the case.
Those found guilty in the case include Sunil NS, alias Pulsar Suni,37, prime accused in the case, Martin Antony, 33, a driver with a studio in Kochi; B Manikandan, 37, also a driver; Vijeesh V P, 38, an electrician, while Salim H, 30, and Pradeep, 31, are bus crew. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on Friday.
Apart from Dileep, the court also acquitted Charlie Thomas, Sanil Kumar alias Mestri Sanil, and Sarath Nair. Charlie had been accused of providing a hideout to other accused after the incident. Sanil had faced charges of conspiring with Pulsur Sunil in jail to extract money by threatening Dileep. Sarath faced charges for handing over and destroying the visuals of the sexual assault. The court had declared three other accused, Vishnu, Vipinlal and Aneesh, as approvers.
After the verdict, Dileep thanked those who supported him over the past nine years and alleged that the case against him stemmed from a “criminal conspiracy” first flagged by his former wife, actor Manju Warrier. “This was a fabricated case to destroy my career and image. A prominent police officer and a gang of criminal police have created this. This police gang had fabricated a story with the help of a few media, and spread the story. Today, that fabricated story has collapsed. The real conspiracy was to make an accused in the case. I thank all the people who prayed for me, and the lawyers who have defended me in the last eight years, “ he said.
Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev said that the government is with the survivor and will ensure that she gets justice. He said the government would appeal against the trial court verdict in the actor abduction case. “The matter has been discussed with the chief minister and the decision is to move an appeal,” he said.
It is learnt that the government has given direction to the prosecution to begin preliminary steps for filing the appeal.
The actress was sexually assaulted on the evening of February 17, 2017 while she was returning to Kochi from Thrissur after a film shoot. She came to Kochi in an SUV arranged by a production company called KL Creations. Martin, who drove the vehicle, is the second accused in the case.
Trial proceedings began on January 30, 2020, and unfolded over nearly five years. The case was heard by Special Judge Honey M Varghese, appointed in 2019 after the survivor sought a woman judge. But as the trial progressed, repeated requests by the survivor and the state government to replace Honey Varghese, citing alleged bias, were rejected at various judicial levels, including by the Supreme Court.
The proceedings were marked by several delays and intense legal battles, including hostile witnesses, allegations of digital evidence tampering, and multiple petitions by the accused.
The Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court routinely heard petitions related to bail, access to the assault visuals, and the transfer of the case. The prosecution team also changed several times, and separate investigations were launched into the unlawful access of crucial digital evidence, including visuals of the sexual assault.
In 2024, the Kerala government even accused Dileep of attempting to obstruct and delay the trial.
All the accused have been out on bail for varying periods of time due to the extended duration of the trial. On September 18, 2024, the Supreme Court granted bail to the main accused, Pulsar Suni, observing that the trial was unlikely to conclude within a reasonable timeframe.
The final phase of the trial involved testimonies from more than 200 witnesses and detailed forensic analyses. Charges against the various accused included IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 366 (kidnapping), 376D (gang rape), and offences under the Information Technology Act.