On 8 December, a Kerala court acquitted Malayalam superstar Dileep in the 2017 sexual assault case against a well-known actress. Dileep was accused as the number eight in the high-profile case, and the case was finally laid to rest nearly eight years later. The verdict was reserved for December 12th after the trial concluded. Ernakulam District and Sessions Judge Honey M. Varghese delivered the verdict at 11 a.m. on Monday.
Who is actor Dileep?
For those who don’t know who Dileep is a popular actor from the Malayalam film industry. Famously known by his stage name Dileep, his real name, according to Wikipedia, is Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan. His career began with mimicking other actors. He initially started working as an assistant director and later ventured into Malayalam films.
He soon became viral after starring in several films like Punjabi House (1998), Thenkasipattanam (2000), Darling Darling (2000), Ee Parakkum Thalika (2001), and Ishtam (2001).
What is the 2017 Kochi sexual assault case accused Dileep?
The Kerala court ruled that Dileep could not be convicted based on the evidence presented. The case relates to the alleged kidnapping and assault of a famous Malayalam actress inside a car for two hours in Kochi in February 2017.
A total of 10 people were charged in the case, including Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh VP, Salim H, Pradeep, Charlie Thomas, Sanil Kumar alias Mestri Sanil, and Sharath. All of these accused were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
All of them were charged with serious offenses, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, sexual assault, gang rape, destruction of evidence, and common intention. Sections of the IT Act were also invoked.
Dileep was charged with destruction of evidence, among other charges. The police filed the first charge sheet in April 2017. The Malayalam star was subsequently arrested in July 2017 after the investigating team claimed that the accused Pulsar Suni had sent him a letter from jail. He was granted bail in October 2017.
Actor Dileep acquitted after 109 days of interrogation
A total of 261 witnesses testified during the trial, including many from the film industry, but many later changed their statements. The investigating officer’s questioning lasted 109 days, reflecting the length of the case. The court presented 834 documents, and two defense witnesses were also heard. During this period, two key witnesses, former MLA PT Thomas and director Balachandra Kumar, passed away. Ultimately, the court concluded that the available evidence was insufficient to support a conviction.
