‘Conspiracy Against Me’: Court Clears Kerala Actor Dileep In 2017 Abduction And Rape Case; Pulsar Suni Among 6 Convicted

The Ernakulam principal sessions court on Monday acquitted popular Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 abduction and rape case. While the court found the gang led by Sunil NS, alias Pulsar Suni, guilty, it concluded that the prosecution failed to prove Dileep’s involvement in a conspiracy.

Court Verdict And Actor’s Statement

District and sessions judge Honey M Varghese delivered the judgment at 11 am. Speaking to reporters, Dileep expressed relief and described the case as a criminal conspiracy against him. He said, “First and foremost, I thank the Almighty. Truth has won. There is a criminal conspiracy in this case. The conspiracy against me began the moment, when Manju stated that the criminal conspiracy behind the incident must be investigated… Today, in court, this fake story created by that police team has collapsed. The real conspiracy in this case was to make me the accused, to destroy my career, my image, and my life in society.”

Overview Of The 2017 Incident

The case relates to an incident on 17 February 2017, when the survivor was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi. The prosecution claimed the gang hijacked her vehicle. Accused Martin Antony coordinated the abduction, while Pulsar Suni and others followed from Angamaly and staged a fake accident at Athani at around 9.15 pm. The accused then confined the survivor, threatened her, and sexually assaulted her while recording obscene videos.

Prosecution’s Allegations Against Dileep

In November 2017, police submitted a second charge sheet alleging that Dileep conspired with Suni to execute the crime. Despite presenting extensive evidence and witness testimony, the court determined that the prosecution could not prove the actor’s involvement.

Extensive Trial And Evidence

The trial began on 8 March 2018 and spanned several years. A total of 261 witnesses were examined, including prominent film actors, with 28 turning hostile. Two prosecutors resigned during the proceedings, and the survivor’s attempts to change the presiding officer through higher courts were unsuccessful. The prosecution submitted 833 documents and 142 pieces of evidence, while the defence presented 221 documents. Witness examinations alone took 438 days.

Next Steps For Convicted Accused

The court is scheduled to hold hearings on the quantum of punishment for the six convicted individuals on 12 December.