Kerala Sexual Assault Case Verdict: Actor Dileep Acquitted After Eight-Year Legal Battle

In the end, Dileep, the actor from Mollywood, was exonerated from all counts in the sexual assault case of 2017 assigns to Kerala after a series of intense legal battles that lasted for almost eight years, undying media spotlight, and public discourse. The long-awaited decision was made on Monday by Judge Honey M Varghese of Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court, thus bringing an extraordinary episode in the history of Kerala's law and cinema to a close.

The incident had stunned the state when a famous actress was kidnapped and subjected to a heinous act inside a moving vehicle while on her way to a shooting location in Thrissur. To make matters worse, the assailants filmed the ordeal, thereby making it one of the most horrific events ever experienced by not only the Malayalam film industry but also the whole state.

What the Court Ruled

In the course of the ruling, Dileep was acquitted of all the accusations made against him. However, the court pronounced the prime accused Pulsar Suni and six co-accused as guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, which are considered to be very severe. Besides, the following were found guilty:

• Pulsar Suni (Sunil NS)
• Martin Antony
• Manikandan B
• Vijeesh VP
• Salim H alias Vadival Salim
• Pradeep
• Charlie Thomas
• Sanilkumar alias Mesthiri Sanil

They were convicted under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 340 (wrongful confinement), 354 & 354B (outraging modesty), 366 (abduction), 376D (gang rape) and the corresponding section of the IT Act.

How the Case Unfolded

The felonious act happened on the 17th of February 2017 when the victim was abducted and violated before being thrown on the roadside. The following day, driver Martin Antony was nabbed, and within a week, the infamous criminal Sunil NS, better known as Pulsar Suni, was arrested. A few more arrests were made before the month was over.

Dileep was arrested in July 2017 on the grounds of having conspired to commit the act out of personal vendetta. He was later released on bail in October 2017 after enduring two rejections from the Kerala High Court; he had spent 83 days in jail prior to that.

Legal Twists, Supreme Court Intervention & Trial Delays

In 2018, Dileep applied to the Kerala High Court, asking for a CBI investigation, claiming partiality in the police inquiry. But his request was rejected with the court saying that the accused cannot pick and choose the investigating agency. Also, his later appeal was turned down on the ground that the trial was almost done.

The victim later asked for a female judge to be appointed to preside over the trial. At one point, she also requested that the case be moved, mentioning concerns regarding its impartiality. The Supreme Court, on several occasions, instructed the lower courts to hasten the trial proceedings, even allowing time extensions until March 31, 2024.

After years of pleading, the argument finally ended and the decision was kept secret until today, when it was proclaimed - Dileep, the actor, is not guilty of the charges.

A Verdict That Divides Opinion

Although the acquittal gives legal closure for Dileep, the matter still places a strong emotional impact on and draws public attention that concerns women's safety, celebrity power and justice in the handling of high-profile cases especially the one in question.

Simultaneously, the conviction of the main accused not only confirms the court's view as regards the brutal crime committed against the victim, but also serves as a reminder of it.