This Case Destroyed My Career: Actor Dileep Breaks Silence After Being Acquitted By Court In 2017 Sexual Assault Case

The Principal District and Sessions Court in Ernakulam on Monday (December 8) acquitted prominent Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 actress rape and abduction case. Smt. Honey M. Varghese delivered the verdict at 11 am today in open court, bringing an eight-year-long trial to a close.

The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the Malayalam actor’s involvement. However, six others were convicted of rape and conspiracy, while three more people, apart from Dileep, were also acquitted.

Speaking right after the verdict, Dileep said, “The major allegation against me was criminal conspiracy. In fact, the conspiracy took place against me as a group of cops, media and the accused conspired the plot to tarnish my image and destroy his career and life. I thanks my fans for praying for my acquital. I am thankful to all who were with me till now.”

Also Read: 2017 Sexual Assault Case: Malayalam Actor Dileep Acquitted, Key Conspirator Pulsar Suni Among 6 Others Found Guilty

As per Live Law, Actor Dileep was acquitted of all criminal charges against him. Out of the ten accused, the judge found the first six: Pulsar Suni (A1), Martin Antony (A2), B. Manikandan (A3), V. P. Vijeesh (A4), H. Saleem (A5) and C. Pradeep (A6), guilty of rape, conspiracy, abduction and other offences. They were convicted under Sections 120B, 340, 354, 366, 354B and 376D of the Indian Penal Code. The court will announce its sentence on December 12.

Actor Dileep (A8) was accused of being the main conspirator. The court also acquitted A7, A9 and A15.

What is Dileep’s case about?

The actress assault case refers to the abduction and sexual assault of an actress in a moving vehicle on the outskirts of Cochin on February 17, 2017.

The incident happened while the actress was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi for a film shoot. The assailants allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted her, filmed the act, and later left her near an actor’s home, claiming they were carrying out a “contract”.

As per Live Law, authorities registered the case that same night, and they arrested the prime accused, Pulsar Suni, as he attempted to surrender before a court. More arrests followed, and several accused told investigators that they committed the crime on Dileep’s instructions, a claim that eventually did not stand in court.

Dileep spent 85 days in jail before securing bail. The trial, which formally began in 2020, saw dramatic turns, including 28 witnesses turning hostile, allegations of digital evidence tampering and claims by film director P Balachandra Kumar that he had seen the actor watching assault footage at his home. This led the court to order a further probe and an additional chargesheet. Kumar later passed away due to a kidney-related illness.

The case also witnessed repeated delays, legal challenges by the accused and intense public scrutiny.