Kerala HC seeks response from Dileep, others in 2017 actress assault case

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday issued notices to actor Dileep and nine others in connection with the 2017 sexual assault case involving a multi-lingual actress, seeking their response to the state government’s appeal challenging the trial court’s judgment.

The appeal, admitted by a bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Jobin Sebastian, contests the acquittal of Dileep and three other accused —Charley Thomas (A7), Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil (A9), and Sarath (A15)—and seeks enhancement of the 20-year rigorous imprisonment sentence awarded to six convicted individuals: Sunil N S (Pulsar Suni), Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, and Pradeep.

In February 2017, a multi-lingual actress was abducted from her moving car in Kerala and sexually assaulted by a group of men , with the act recorded on video. The case initially involved 15 accused, of whom three were later pardoned and two discharged. Pulsar Suni and five others were convicted and sentenced to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment , while actor Dileep and three others were acquitted by the trial court. Dileep was accused of conspiring with the primary assailant due to alleged enmity against the victim. The case drew widespread attention and outrage, profoundly impacting Kerala society.

The state government’s plea argued that the acquittal of Dileep and others was “wholly illegal and unmerited,” potentially sending a wrong message to society. It urged the High Court to hold them guilty of the same offences as the six convicted accused and to impose stricter sentences and fines, considering the gravity of the crime and the trauma suffered by the victim.

According to the prosecution, Dileep allegedly conspired with Sunil N S to target the actress, instructing him to assault her and capture her nude visuals out of enmity . During the investigation, Dileep was arrested for allegedly conspiring in the crime. However, after nearly six years of trial proceedings, the trial court acquitted him. The appeal now seeks to overturn this verdict and revisit the sentences of all involved. Initially, there were 15 accused in the case ; three were granted pardon and testified as witnesses , two were discharged by the High Court, and the remaining 10 faced trial. The case had deeply shaken Kerala’s public conscience when it first came to light.

The High Court has served notices to Dileep and the other accused asking them to respond to the state’s appeal. There is no confirmed update yet that Dileep has formally submitted his response to the court.