Malayalam Actor Dileep walks free as court acquits him in 2017 actress assault case, blames his ex-wife for…

Malayalam actor Dileep has been acquitted in the 2017 actor assault case after an eight-year trial. He was accused of conspiracy and destroying evidence

A Kerala court on Monday acquitted actor Dileep, listed as accused number eight, in the 2017 Malayalam actor assault case. This marked the end of a legal battle that had been going on for almost eight years. The verdict was announced on 8th December 2025 at 11 am by Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Judge Honey M. Varghese.

The Incident: Abduction and Assault in February 2017

This case was filed for kidnapping and alleged sexual assault of a prominent Malayalam actress inside a moving car in Kochi on February 17, 2017. The survivor was reportedly confined and assaulted for nearly two hours, leading to one of the most closely watched trials in Kerala’s recent history.

Ten Accused Faced Trial

A total of ten individuals, including Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh VP, Salim H, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil, and Sharath, stood trial in connection with the crime. They were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, sexual assault, gang rape, destruction of evidence, and common intention, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act. Dileep additionally faced accusations of influencing and destroying evidence.

Prosecution Timeline and Key Developments

The first chargesheet was filed in April 2017. Later that year, Dileep was arrested after investigative agencies claimed that the main accused, Pulsar Suni, had sent him a letter from prison. He secured bail in October 2017, and a supplementary chargesheet was submitted soon after. Over time, several accused were discharged.

In 2021, new developments happened when filmmaker Balachandra Kumar alleged that Dileep had access to visuals of the assault, prompting further investigation. After that, one more FIR was registered over an alleged conspiracy to harm investigating officers. In 2022, suspicions of unlawful access to the memory card stored under judicial custody triggered a High Court-monitored probe and the introduction of new guidelines for handling sensitive digital evidence.

Lengthy Trial Examined Hundreds of Witnesses

The trial was extensive, with 261 witnesses appearing before the court, including many from the Malayalam film industry, several of whom turned hostile. The investigation officer alone was cross-examined for 109 days. A total of 834 documents were accepted as evidence, and two defence witnesses were heard. During the course of proceedings, two crucial witnesses, former MLA PT Thomas and director Balachandra Kumar, passed away.

Dileep’s First Public Reaction After Being Acquitted

Malayalam actor Dileep has shared his first public reaction after being acquitted in the 2017 actor assault case, thanking those who supported him, he said. He further accused his ex-wife and said, “The conspiracy started when Manju (actor and his ex-wife) said it was a conspiracy.” He further added, “The police team made a false story by gathering the main accused and his associates in jail. The media was used to spread the false story on social media,” indicating how the narrative circulated beyond the legal domain.

He continued claiming that allegations were made against him to destroy his image: “The false story created by the police team failed in court.” He went on to say, “The real conspiracy was to make me an accused. It was done to destroy my image and life.”