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

Thiruvananthapuram: A Kerala court on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in a sexual assault case of a leading Malayalam actress, who was reportedly molested inside a moving car for nearly two hours in Kochi on February 17, 2017.

Ruling that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against Dileep, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court held six other accused guilty in the crime that shocked Kerala and the film industry.

The verdict was delivered by Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, who had been hearing the high-profile case involving 10 accused. Dileep, listed as the eighth accused, was alleged to have masterminded the abduction and sexual assault of the prominent actress.

The incident took place while the actress was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi for a film shoot. The assailants allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted her, filming the act before abandoning her near an actor’s residence, claiming they were executing a “contract”.

The case was registered on the same night and prime accused Pulsar Suni was arrested while attempting to surrender before a court. Subsequent arrests followed and several accused told investigators that the crime was executed on Dileep’s instructions, a claim that ultimately did not hold in court.

Pulsar Suni had earlier worked as a driver on film sets. Investigating officials had found that Dileep had promised him Rs 1.5 crore to attack the actress and record visuals. After the assault, Suni was arrested. However, he did not receive the promised money and allegedly tried several times to threaten Dileep. He sent letters through fellow inmates and even attempted to contact Dileep’s close aides.

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 kidney-related illness.

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

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