Eight years after a high-profile abduction and sexual assault incident concerning a Malayalam actress, Judge Honey M Varghese of the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court has scheduled a ruling for December 8. This landmark case involves ten accused individuals, including actor Dileep, who holds the designation of the eighth accused.
The traumatic event took place in February 2017 in Angamaly, as the actress was en route from Thrissur to Ernakulam. During the drive, her car was forcibly struck from behind, causing altercations between her driver and the accused, who subsequently entered her vehicle under the pretense of resolving the dispute. The group then drove along the National Highway towards Ernakulam, during which the actress was reportedly subjected to sexual assault by the primary accused, Pulsar Suni, who recorded the assault on his mobile device. After the assault, the actress was abandoned in front of a film director’s house while the attackers fled.
Investigations revealed that the act was orchestrated as part of a conspiracy to inflict harm on the actress, videotape the incident, and blackmail her. Following Suni’s arrest, police connected Dileep’s name to the case. Dileep has publicly denounced the media's portrayal of his involvement and even sought an inquiry into how his name became associated with the incident. The situation escalated with the emergence of a letter from Suni to Dileep, which raised serious concerns about their connection.
Dileep was apprehended in July 2017 while returning from Kodungallur. His detention followed extensive questioning and resulted in an 85-day jail term before he secured bail. What followed was an extended legal battle encompassing proceedings in the High Court, Supreme Court, and trial court. In January 2020, charges were officially filed against Dileep and other accused parties.
The case took an unexpected turn in 2022 when actor Balachandra Kumar revealed audio recordings allegedly featuring Dileep, indicating attempts to undermine the investigation and threaten officials involved in the case. Consequently, the Crime Branch initiated additional legal proceedings against Dileep and five others for their purported conspiracy to harm investigation officials.
The disturbing nature of the incident sent ripples of outrage throughout the nation and had a profound impact on the film industry, highlighting issues related to sexual violence and harassment. It ultimately led to the formation of the Hema committee, which published a report in 2019. After considerable pressure, the government made the report public, prompting the High Court to mandate further investigations based on its findings.