On December 8, 2025, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court delivered the long-awaited verdict in the high-profile actress assault case involving Malayalam superstar Dileep. The court, headed by Judge Honey M Varghese, concluded an eight-and-a-half-year trial that kept Kerala and the Malayalam film industry on edge. Dileep, who was accused of conspiring in the 2017 abduction and sexual assault of a leading actress, faced charges of criminal conspiracy, intimidation, and destruction of evidence.
Timeline of the Dileep Actress Assault Case
The Night of the Crime (February 17, 2017)
A leading Malayalam actress was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle in Kochi. The crime was allegedly orchestrated to settle a personal score. The attackers, led by Pulsar Suni, filmed the assault, intending to distribute the visuals.
Investigation and Arrests
- April 2017: First chargesheet filed naming Pulsar Suni and six others.
- July 2017: Dileep arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly commissioning the assault. He was later granted bail in October 2017.
- August–December 2018: Dileep moved multiple courts, including the Supreme Court, to access the assault visuals, but the courts denied his requests citing privacy concerns.
Key Developments in the Trial
- February 2019: Judge Honey M Varghese was appointed to oversee the trial, which was conducted in camera to protect the survivor’s identity.
- May–December 2019: Supreme Court refused Dileep’s request for a copy of the assault footage, stating he had already seen it multiple times.
- January–February 2022: Audio clips surfaced, allegedly showing Dileep plotting retaliation against police officers. A fresh FIR was registered, and his house was raided.
- December 2024: Whistleblower Balachandrakumar, whose statements reshaped the case, passed away from kidney complications.
- February 2025: The trial formally ended, but supplementary hearings continued to address clarifications and arguments.
- November 2025: The trial court announced the verdict would be delivered on December 8, 2025.
What Were the Charges Against Dileep?
Dileep was named as the eighth accused in the case. He faced charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including:
- Section 120B (criminal conspiracy)
- Section 366 (kidnapping)
- Section 376D (gang rape)
- Sections of the Information Technology Act, 2008, for filming and distributing the assault.
The prosecution argued that Dileep had orchestrated the crime due to personal animosity toward the actress. Key evidence included witness testimonies, chargesheets, and a memory card containing critical footage.youtube
2017 actress assault case verdict LIVE Updates: Kerala court set to pronounce verdict#Keralaactressassaultcase #Malayalamactressassaultcase #Keralaactressabductionandassaultcase #Dileephttps://t.co/xTcHgUj7XU
— SCREEN (@ieEntertainment) December 8, 2025
Impact of the Dileep Case on Malayalam Cinema
The Dileep actress assault case exposed deep-rooted issues within the Malayalam film industry. It led to the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and the Justice Hema Committee, both of which have played key roles in highlighting the discrimination and exploitation faced by women in the industry. The case also sparked widespread outrage, leading to calls for greater accountability and transparency in the film world.
