Appeal to be filed in actress attack case; legal battle to continue in High Court

KOCHI: Actor Dileep has been acquitted in the actress attack case, but the case will continue. Ernakulam District Principal Sessions Court Judge Honey M. Varghese has found that the prosecution has failed to prove the charges against film star Dileep, including criminal conspiracy and giving a quotation for rape, in the case that shook Kerala. The verdict is based on that. It is widely observed that the eighth accused, Dileep (P Gopalakrishnan-57), has been acquitted of charges that carry a sentence ranging from 20 years in prison to double life imprisonment.

The survivor refused to respond. Law Minister P Rajeev clarified that the prosecution will file an appeal with the High Court. The court found the first accused NS Sunilkumar (Pulsar Suni-37), accused two to six Martin Antony (33), B Manikandan (37), VP Vijeesh (38), H Salim (Vadiwal Salim-30) and Pradeep (31) guilty in the case of attacking the actress and filming the visuals. Their bail was cancelled and they were sent to Viyyur Central Jail. Rape and conspiracy were also proven against them. The sentence will be pronounced on the 12th.

Apart from Dileep, the seventh accused, Kannur native Charlie Thomas (51), the ninth accused, Kozhencherry native Sanil Kumar (Mesthiri Sanil-49), and the 15th accused and Dileep's friend Sarath Nair (V.I.P. Sarath), who was included in the second chargesheet, were acquitted. The actress was attacked on February 17, 2017, while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi. Dileep spent more than 85 days in jail as a remand accused.

What the court said

There is only circumstantial evidence against Dileep, the eighth accused in the actress assault case. The prosecution could not prove the conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, Dileep is acquitted of the charges of gang rape, criminal conspiracy, outraging the modesty of a woman, wrongful confinement, use of force, IT Act 66E/67A (taking and distributing obscene pictures), destruction of evidence and concealment under Section 235 of the Cr. P. C.

A high-ranking officer and a group of criminal policemen conspired to frame a conspiracy case against me.

-Actor Dileep