The acquittal of actor Dileep, accused of masterminding a prominent Kerala actor's abduction and rape, comes at the end of a nearly nine-year legal battle that raised a storm in the Malayalam film industry. Six of the accused were found guilty, but Dileep was cleared of all charges. Following the Kerala court verdict, the actor said the allegations were part of a conspiracy to malign his image and destroy his career.
A Crime That Shook Kerala
On February 17, 2017, a prominent actor in the Malayalam film industry was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving car near Kerala's Kochi. The actor, then 20, said in her complaint that a vehicle rear-ended her car while she was returning to Kochi from Thrissur late at night. This led to an argument, and two men entered her car, threatened the driver and asked him to continue driving towards Kochi.
The actor said she was held hostage for two hours and sexually assaulted. The criminals also took photographs that can be used to blackmail her. Later, the two men got out of the car and fled. The shaken actor went to the house of a director, who informed the police.
The Investigation, And Dileep's Arrest
As the police probed the incident, Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni was identified as the main accused. Dileep, it was alleged, masterminded the crime, allegedly because the actor had told his then-wife, Manju Warrier, about his extramarital affair. Manju Warrier had confirmed this in court, and the prosecution argued that Dileep planned the sexual assault as an act of revenge against the actor. Dileep trashed the allegations. On July 10, 2017, he was arrested. After nearly three months in custody, Dileep was out on bail. The trial began next year.
Delays, And Hostile Witnesses
The trial into the high-profile case was plagued by delays, including the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 261 witnesses were examined. Several of the prosecution's witnesses turned hostile in court, weakening the case against the accused.
Three people who were initially implicated in the case later turned approvers. In 2021, filmmaker P Balachandrakumar made fresh allegations that Dileep and his associates conspired to influence witnesses and target the investigating police officers. These allegations prompted the court to halt the trial. In 2022, fresh charges of tampering with evidence were added to the allegations against Dileep.
The Verdict, And What's Next
The court of Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese found six of the 10 accused guilty of rape, conspiracy and abduction, among other charges. These included the main accused, Pulsar Suni, and Marting Antony, B Manikandan, VP Vijeesh, H Saleem, and C Pradeep. Dileep and three others were acquitted. The court said Dileep was not found guilty of masterminding the heinous crime.
The ruling CPM has said the state government will challenge the verdict in the Kerala High Court to ensure justice to the survivor. The court will pronounce the sentence for those held guilty on Friday.
The Impact of The Case
The case brought to the fore deep-rooted gender imbalance in the Malayalam film industry. It also led to the birth of the Women in Cinema Collective, a group demanding gender equality in the industry.
The sexual assault and the outrage surrounding it prompted the Kerala government to set up the Justice Hema Committee to examine working conditions in the film industry. This panel recommended complaint mechanisms, gender-sensitive guidelines and Internal Complaints Committees on film sets.
While Dileep's acquittal has disappointed a large section of people associated with cinema, the uproar has put the spotlight on gender issues in the industry.
