Dileep Verdict Looms: Court to Deliver Judgment in Actress Assault Case on Dec 8

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The Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court is set to deliver its verdict in the high-profile 2017 actress kidnapping and sexual assault case on December 8. The case, which has been pending for eight years, involves Malayalam actor Dileep as the eighth accused. The trial, which began in 2017, has been marred by several disruptions, including multiple reminders from the Supreme Court to expedite the case. The complainant had earlier moved the higher courts to replace the judge, but the case continued. The incident, which took place on February 17, 2017, involved the kidnapping and rape of a woman actor in a moving car on the outskirts of Kochi. The alleged attackers, led by Sunil Kumar alias 'Pulsar' Suni, had videographed the assault. Dileep, who faces charges of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, is accused of orchestrating the attack due to a personal grudge against the actress. The actor was arrested in July 2017 and spent 88 days in prison before securing bail. The trial was further complicated by revelations from director Balachandra Kumar, who claimed to have seen Dileep watching visuals of the assault on his phone. Kumar also alleged that Dileep had conspired to endanger the lives of police officers, including Dy SP Baiju Poulose, who was in charge of the case at the time. A new FIR was lodged against Dileep based on Kumar's claims. The case has had a significant impact on the Malayalam film industry, leading to the ouster of Dileep from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC). The WCC had petitioned the government to investigate the problems faced by women actors and technicians, leading to the formation of the Justice Hema committee. The committee's report, released last year, highlighted rampant sexual abuse in the industry and an all-male power group controlling the industry. The court considered over 1,700 documents and 261 witnesses, many of whom turned hostile. The proceedings were conducted in-camera due to the sensitivity of the case. The verdict, to be delivered by Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, will bring an end to the eight-year-long trial and provide justice to the complainant.