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India actor Dileep cleared of rape, abduction charges: Twists and turns in actress' case
Key events, dramatis personae, we bring everything to you on a case that was one of India's most watched
One of India's closely watched trials drew to a halt on December 8 after the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court acquitted prominent Malayalam actor Dileep of the charges of orchestrating the abduction and rape of a leading South Indian actress eight years ago. However, six other accused were held guilty.
The influential Malayalam actor, who has starred in hits such as Kammara Sambhavam, Meesha Madhavan, Kalyanaraman, CID Moosa and Kuberan, among others, said outside the court that the "criminal conspiracy" against him began after his former wife, the prominent actress Manju Warrier, levelled charges against him.
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Here's a look at the timeline of the case, containing key events over the past eight years.
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February 17, 2017
A leading actress, known for her roles in movies across South Indian languages, was abducted and sexually assaulted by a group of men in a moving car. She was travelling to Kochi from her home in Thrissur.
The prime accused, Sunil Kumar, also known as Pulsar Suni, filmed the assault on a mobile phone.
February 18, 2017
The actress filed a complaint with the police about the incident and a first information report, the basis for initiating investigation in India, was registered. Three arrests were soon made.
April 2017
Police file the first chargesheet, naming Pulsar Suni and six others.
May 2017
A group of women actors and other personalities unite to form the Women in Cinema Collective. The collective meets Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and seeks action.
June 2017
A letter allegedly written by Pulsar Suni surfaces, in which he claimed that he hadn't "betrayed" Dileep and sought financial support. Dileep, however, refuted the allegations. This also marks the first time that the actor's name was directly involved in the case.
A special investigation team interrogated Dileep and Malayalam filmmaker Nadirshah for around 13 hours.
July 2017
Dileep, who was then the treasurer of the Malayalam film body AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists), was arrested on charges of conspiracy. Business establishments belonging to his wife Kavya Madhavan were also raided.
Dileep is expelled from AMMA. The Kerala government forms the Justice Hema Committee to probe sexual harassment and other problems in Malayalam cinema.
October 2017
After spending nearly three months in jail, the Kerala High Court grants conditional bail to Dileep, on a bond of Rs 100,000 (Dh4,074 approximately) and that he surrender his passport.
November 2017
A second chargesheet is filed in the case, naming 12 accused; Dileep is listed at 8.
March 2018
Trial in the case begins on March 8.
June 2018
Dileep moves the Kerala High Court to the federal investigating body, the Central Bureau of Investigation, saying he has no faith in the Kerala Police.
Actor Mohanlal, appointed as president of AMMA, moves to reinstate Dileep in the organisation. The WCC objects; Dileep declines request.
Throughout 2018, the actor requests for footage of the assault in various courts. The Kerala government opposes the pleas citing that it would violate the privacy of the survivor.
February 2019
The Kerala government appoints Justice Honey M Varghese to handle the case.
2020
Charges framed against Dileep in January.
In the months to come, key witnesses such as actors Siddique, Edavela Babu, Bhama and Bindu Panicker, would turn hostile. They had initially stated they were aware of Dileep's hostility to the survivor.
In October, the survivor moves the Kerala High Court, seeking a change of judge, noting that she was "biased". Court turns down the request.
December 2021
Filmmaker Balachandrakumar alleged that he had seen Pulsar Suni at Dileep's house and that Dileep, his family members and a VIP viewed clips of the assault. The next day, special public prosecutor Anil Kumar, steps down over a disagreement with the judge. He had succeeded A Suresan.
A month later, a first information report was filed against Dileep for purportedly threatening investigating officials and influencing witnesses. In February, Dileep and others were granted anticipatory bail in the case.
June 2022
According to forensic reports, a memory card containing visuals of the assault was accessed repeatedly while in court custody, raising questions of tampering.
In September, the survivor writes to the Supreme Court expressing concerns over the visuals getting leaked.
August 2024
Kerala government makes Justice Hema Committee report public. The heavily-redacted version of the report revealed sordid stories of sexual harassment in Malayalam cinema. Office bearers of the AMMA, including Mohanlal, step down.
In December, Balachandrakumar dies of a kidney ailment.
February 2025
Trial ends, but hearings continue for the next few months. A total of 261 witnesses were examined on camera since trial began; 28 turned hostile.
December 2025
Verdict announced on December 8, 2025; Dileep acquitted. The judgment was pronounced by Honey M Varghese, Principal District and Sessions Court judge in Ernakulam city.
The sentencing for the six convicted men is set for December 12.
Several actors from the Malayalam film industry, including Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal and Remya Nambeesan, took to social media to share the campaign tagline Avalkoppam (We stand with her), which was first released by the WCC after the assault that took place in February 2017.
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