The survivor in the 2017 Kerala actress assault case is reportedly shocked and pained over the acquittal of actor Dileep in the case. Those who support her have expressed profound shock and disappointment, with many calling the acquittal a “miscarriage of justice”.
The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court on Monday acquitted Dileep of all charges, including criminal conspiracy, stating that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence of his involvement. Six other men, who were directly involved in the physical assault and abduction, were found guilty.
The survivor has not made a public statement directly but her close friend, actress Shafna Nizam, posted on social media that trust in justice is “shattered”.
Other members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), including actresses Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal, and Remya Nambeesan, shared messages of solidarity and questioned the verdict, with Parvathy calling it a “carefully crafted screenplay” unfolding cruelly.
Rima Kallingal responded on social media that she will stand firmly with her. Parvathy Thiruvoth responded by criticizing the verdict, calling it a “carefully crafted screenplay”.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the verdict, MLA Uma Thomas wrote on Facebook that she is with her unconditionally. She said Thomas’s soul will not be satisfied with this verdict and that the concerns shared by the survivor many times during the proceedings of the court have been proven to be true. Those who stand with the survivor are criticizing the verdict by raising again the allegations raised against the judge when trial proceedings took place in the court.
In response to the public outrage and the survivor’s concerns, the Kerala government has announced it will appeal against the trial court’s verdict in the High Court, with Law Minister P. Rajeev stating, “The government is with the survivor” and believes she did not get complete justice.