The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court will pronounce its verdict in the high-profile actress sexual assault case, in which Malayalam actor Dileep is among the 10 accused, on December 8, 2025.
Actor Dileep was tried for allegedly hatching a conspiracy with the first accused, NS Sunil, aka ‘Pulsur’ Suni, who allegedly raped the woman actor and videographed the criminal act. The actor was imprisoned for almost 90 days in the case. The case remains one of the most closely watched in Kerala’s legal and cinematic history.
Actor Dileep, who faces charges of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, among others, is accused of orchestrating the attack on the woman actor as a result of a grudge he held against her for allegedly being involved in his separation and eventual divorce from actress Manju Warrier.
The verdict is to be pronounced by Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, seven years after the trial began in the case and after multiple reminders by the Supreme Court to expedite it.
The trial, which began in 2018, has been marred by several disruptions. The prosecution was halted on two occasions as the victim approached higher courts for the removal of the judicial officer handling her case. Additionally, a COVID-19-induced lockdown delayed proceedings by nearly two years. Further investigation took another year after filmmaker Balachandrakumar alleged he had seen Dileep and others watching visuals of the rape at his Aluva residence. Balachandrakumar passed away in December 2024.
The trial was conducted in-camera and involved around 1,700 documents and 261 witnesses, including prominent actors from the industry.
Apart from Dileep and Sunil Kumar, aka ‘Pulsur’ Suni, the other accused in the case are Martin Antony, B Manikandan, VP Vijeesh, Salim, Pradeep, Charley Thomas, and Sanil.
The case has had a profound impact on the Malayalam film industry, leading to the formation of Women Collective in Cinema(WCC), a forum advocating for women’s rights in cinema. The collective’s demand led to the formation of the Hema Committee to study issues faced by women in Malayalam cinema. The Hema Committee report documented sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. While the full, unredacted report was not released to the public, its findings led to the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) by the Kerala government.
The case dates back to 17 February 2017, when a prominent Malayalam cine actress was abducted and raped in a moving car in Kochi, allegedly at the behest of Dileep, who at the time was one of the most influential actors in the Malayalam film industry. Dileep reportedly had a personal score to settle with the actress, allegedly because she told his ex-wife Manju Warrier that he was engaged in an extramarital affair. She filed a complaint the same night, leading to the arrest of multiple suspects, including the prime accused, Pulsar Suni.
In July 2017, investigations pointed to a conspiracy behind the assault, resulting in the arrest of Dileep. He was later named the eighth accused in the charge sheet.