Malayalam actor Dileep was on Monday acquitted in the 2017 actress abduction and sexual assault case, drawing a line, at least for now, under one of Kerala’s most closely watched and emotionally fraught criminal trials. The verdict, delivered by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court, held that the prosecution had failed to establish a criminal conspiracy involving the actor beyond a reasonable doubt.
Four of the 10 accused, including Dileep, walked free. The remaining six were found guilty and will be sentenced on December 12.
Outside the courtroom, the mood shifted instantly. Dileep, who had maintained since 2017 that he was falsely implicated, said he felt relieved that “the truth had finally stood its ground”.
“In the court, the cooked-up story of the police failed,” he said, as supporters gathered around him. While some were seen distributing laddoos, others attempted to catch a glimpse of the actor as he was escorted out under heavy security. At his home in Aluva, similar scenes unfolded through the afternoon.
The court had directed all 10 accused to be present when the judgment was delivered. Dileep arrived shortly before the proceedings began, accompanied by his brother and a team of lawyers, stopping briefly at his counsel Raman Pillai’s office.
He went on to level serious allegations against the investigating officers. According to him, the conspiracy “began at home”, claiming his former wife had joined hands with a senior police official, and that a section of the media had amplified allegations without scrutiny. Asked who the conspirators were, he told reporters, “It’s for you to find out.”
A case that reshaped Malayalam cinema and public conversation
The case dates back to February 2017, when a prominent actress alleged she was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle on her way to Kochi. The incident sparked massive protests and forced the Malayalam film industry, long criticised for its silence on issues affecting women, to confront uncomfortable truths about power, influence and impunity.
Dubbing artiste Bhagyalakshmi, who has publicly supported her over the years, said the outcome did not surprise her. “I had said this four years ago,” she added.
The prosecution has said it will study the judgment before taking a call on an appeal.
With the conspiracy charge dismissed, the next steps hinge on whether the state decides to appeal. Women’s rights groups, many of whom mobilised strongly after the 2017 assault, have expressed disappointment and indicated they will continue pressing for structural reforms within the film industry.
For Dileep, the verdict marks a turning point in an eight-year battle that altered not just his career but also the cultural and political landscape of Kerala.
And for Kerala, the Dileep case, long shorthand for questions of justice, power and gender, will continue to echo well beyond the courtroom.