Actor Dileep acquitted in 2017 abduction and assault case; Six others convicted

Ernakulam District and Sessions Court clears Dileep of all charges while finding six accused guilty in the high-profile 2017 actress abduction case.

The Ernakulam District and Sessions Court on Monday delivered a crucial verdict in the 2017 actress abduction and sexual assault case, announcing that actor Dileep has been acquitted of all charges. The judgment was pronounced by Judge Honey M Varghese.

The incident dates back to February 17, 2017, when a prominent Malayalam actress was forcibly abducted in a moving car and sexually assaulted. Ten people were booked under multiple sections, including kidnapping and gang rape. Dileep was listed as the 8th accused.

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The court ruled that there was not enough evidence to link Dileep to the conspiracy alleged by the prosecution. He had been accused of instructing the other accused to kidnap the actress as revenge, a claim he consistently denied.

After the verdict, Dileep said he was “completely relieved” and thanked those who supported him, stating that a conspiracy had been plotted to damage his image and career.

While Dileep walked free, the court held Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan, Vijeesh, Salim alias Vadival Salim, and Pradeep guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the actress. The judge stated that the prosecution had successfully proved the involvement of these six men in the abduction and attack carried out inside the vehicle that night.

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Prosecutors had argued that the abduction was carried out on Dileep’s instructions, claiming the actress had informed his former wife about his alleged relationship with another woman. This allegedly led to personal hostility. Dileep, however, firmly rejected all such claims.

The case also involved accusations of evidence tampering against Dileep, but the court found no substantial proof to uphold these charges.

With the final ruling delivered, the court has drawn a clear line between the convicted assailants and the actor who faced prolonged scrutiny for over seven years. Sentencing for the convicted six is expected next.

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