2017 Kerala Actress Assault Case: In the 2017 case involving the rape and abduction of a Malayalam actress in a moving car in Kochi, the Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court has acquitted actor Dileep. He had been accused of being part of a larger conspiracy. Meanwhile, accused one to six — Sunil Kumar alias “Pulsar” Suni, Martin Antony, B. Manikandan, V. P. Vijesh, H. Salim alias “Vadivaal” Salim, and Pradeep — have been found guilty. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on December 12.
Those found guilty
Actor Dileep was the 8th accused. Those who court found guilty include Pulsar Suni, 37, a driver with close links to the film industry. Martin Antony, 33, is a driver with a studio in Kochi; B Manikandan, 37, is also a driver; Vijeesh V P, 38, is an electrician, while Salim H, 30, and Pradeep, 31, are bus crew. The five accused persons were also in the moving vehicle while the actor was being assaulted.
Charges Against Accused in Actress Assault Case
The accused were also charged with gang rape, conspiracy, outraging the modesty of a woman, wrongful confinement, use of criminal force, destruction of evidence, and taking and distributing obscene images under relevant Indian Penal Code Sections.
‘Fabricated case to destroy my career and image’
According to an Indian Express report, after his acquittal, Dileep told the media, “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.”
Kerala law minister P Rajeev told the media that the government will appeal against the trial court verdict in the actor abduction case.
