Kerala actor assault case | State Government files appeal against actor Dileep's acquittal

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has filed an appeal at the High Court against the acquittal of actor Dileep and three others in the abduction and sexual assault of a popular south Indian actress at Kochi in 2017.

The state has also sought enhancement of the sentence of six persons in the case. The appeal is likely to be considered next week.

The trial court in Kochi acquitted Dileep and three others in the case in last December citing insufficient evidence and awarded 20 years rigorous imprisonment for the first six accused for various charges, including gang rape.

The actress who survived the attack had openly come out against the verdict and expressed lack of faith in the trial court judge. She said in a social media post that her request for fair trial was denied and even the memory card containing videos of the sexual assault were illegally accessed.

The prosecution case was that Dileep hired a gang to attack the actress as she earlier informed Dileep's then wife Manju Warrier about Dileep's relationship with actress Kavya Madhavan.

Dileep, who was the eighth accused, and three others, Charlie Thomas, Sanil Kumar alias Mesthiri Sanil and G Sarath, were acquitted.

Even as the prosecution sought maximum punishment of life-term to the six convicted, the court awarded 20 years rigorous imprisonment only citing their comparatively young age and plight of their families.

Scores of witnesses, including prominent film personalities, had turned hostile in the case that rocked the state.