Actor Dileep speaking to mediapersons on Monday.
Credit: Screengrab
Thiruvananthapuram: Actor Dileep has been acquitted in the 2017 actor assault and rape case of Kerala.
Ernakulam principal sessions judge Honey M Varghese delivered the judgment on Monday.
Among the 10 accused in the case, accused number one to six were found guilty of gang rape and conspiracy. They were directly involved in the abduction and rape, the court found. The court will pronounce the sentence on December 12.
Four others, including Dileep, who were accused of conspiracy and helping the accused number one to six, were found not guilty.
'Police cooked up the story'
Speaking after the verdict was delivered, Dileep said it the case was "a real conspiracy was against me to spoil my career and personal life".
"A group of police personnel cooked up a story against me and spread it through a section of media and social media. All those cooked up stories proved false before the court. I thank to all those who stood with me as well as to the lawyers who fought my case," the actor said.
His fans started celebrating after the verdict was delivered.
Abduction and sexual assault
It was on February 17, 2017, that the actress was abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang led by key accused Sunil alias Pulsar Suni in a moving car. The next day she lodged a complaint and within weeks all the gang members were held.
The prosecution case was that Dileep hired the gang to attack the actress as she informed Manju Warrier about her husband Dileep's relationship with actress Kavya Madhavan. Dileep and Manju got divorced and he married Kavya, who had got divorced from her first husband.
There was no direct evidence linking Dileep with the case. The prosecution produced photographs of Dileep with the key accused Sunil, mobile phone location details and cash transactions to prove Dileep's role in the crime.
Those found guilty are Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, B Manikandan, V P Vijeesh, H Salim alias Vadival Salim and Pradeep. Those found not guilty are Charlie Thomas, P Gopalakrishnan alias Dileep (actor), Sanil Kumar alias Mesthiri Sanil and G Sarath.
The six were found guilty under IPC 120 B for criminal conspiracy, IPC 340 for wrongful confinement, IPC 354 for assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, IPC 366 for kidnapping or abducting a woman to compel marriage or force illicit intercourse, IPC 354 B for using criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe her or compel her to be naked and IPC 376 D for gang rape.
Timeline of the case
Feb 17, 2017: Actress abducted and raped in Kochi
Feb 18, 2017: Actress lodges complaint
Feb 19, 2017: Dileep's ex-wife and actress Manju Warrier says there was a larger conspiracy behind the attack; Dileep counters that attempts to cook up stories are going on
Feb 23, 2017: Prime accused, Sunil alias Pulsar Suni, held dramatically from court room while trying to surrender
June 28, 2017: Dileep quizzed by police team
July 10, 2017: Dileep arrested
Oct 3, 2017: Dileep gets bail from Kerala High Court
Nov 22, 2017: Charge-sheet filed against Dileep
March 8, 2018: Trial in the case begins
Dec 25, 2021: Filmmaker Balachandra Kumar reveals Dileep's link with the accused and that Dileep was in possession of the copy of the rape video
January 4, 2022: Court gives permission for further probe into Dileep's role
January 9, 2022: Fresh case against Dileep for hatching conspiracy to murder police officials investigation the case, including DySP Baiju Paulose
Dec 7, 2023: High Court orders probe into unauthorised access of the memory card containing the rape video that was in court's possession
December 11, 2024: Final trial begins
November 25, 2025: Court posts case for verdict on December 8