Dileep Acquitted: 2017 Kerala Actor Assault Case Conspiracy Explained

Dileep Acquitted: Overview of the 2017 Kerala Actor Sexual Assault Case and His Alleged Role

While six men have been convicted for rape and related offenses, actor Dileep, who was accused of orchestrating the crime, has been acquitted. The trial, which spanned over eight years, involved numerous twists and legal developments.

The case was a turning point for the Malayalam film industry, bringing attention to issues of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and inadequate mechanisms for addressing grievances. It eventually led to the formation of the Hema Committee, whose findings were published last year.

The Crime

On the night of February 17, 2017, six men allegedly kidnapped a female actor while she was traveling from her residence in Thrissur to Kochi, both cities in the state of Kerala, India. The men reportedly confined her in a car and drove around Kochi while Pulsar Suni, a known criminal, allegedly assaulted her and recorded the act on his mobile phone. The survivor was later dropped near a film director’s residence, who helped her contact the police, and a case was registered the same day.

Pulsar Suni, who later surrendered to authorities, was identified as the main perpetrator. During the assault, he reportedly told the survivor that he was “carrying out a contract.”

Dileep’s Alleged Role

Investigators concluded that the assault was part of a premeditated plan to intimidate and humiliate the survivor. This led to actor-producer Dileep, who was accused of hiring Pulsar Suni to carry out the crime.

It was alleged that Dileep harbored resentment toward the survivor for exposing his extramarital relationship with another actor. His alleged involvement gained further attention after a letter from Pulsar Suni surfaced, in which Suni requested payment from Dileep for executing the assault.

Dileep was subsequently named the eighth accused, facing charges including criminal conspiracy, intimidation, and evidence tampering. Other accused, including Pulsar Suni, faced multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code, such as 120B (criminal conspiracy), 366 (kidnapping), and 376D (gang rape), as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2008, due to the filming of the assault.

Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017, and later granted conditional bail in October of the same year.

The Trial

In 2019, Judge Honey M Varghese of the Additional Special Sessions Court, Ernakulam, was assigned to oversee the trial, which formally began on January 30, 2020.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution raised concerns about perceived bias by the judge. Two special public prosecutors withdrew from the case, and the survivor’s multiple petitions to transfer the trial to another court were rejected.

The prosecution faced setbacks as several initial witnesses turned hostile. In 2021, a minor film director, Balachandrakumar, claimed to be close to Dileep and released recordings of Dileep’s private conversations, one of which allegedly suggested he possessed footage of the assault.

A forensic investigation also revealed unauthorized access to the memory card containing the assault footage, which was under court custody. The Kerala High Court ordered an inquiry and confirmed that three court staff had accessed the memory card, but no disciplinary action was taken.