The Kerala government has appealed in the High Court against Dileep’s acquittal in the 2017 actress sexual assault case. It has also sought enhanced punishment for the six convicts sentenced to 20 years in prison
Dileep
The Kerala government on Friday moved an appeal in the Kerala High Court challenging the acquittal of Malayalam cinema star Dileep and others in the sensational 2017 actress sexual assault case.
Kerala Govt files appeal in HC against Dileep
In its appeal, the state is also seeking enhancement of the punishment awarded to the six people sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in the case.
Apart from Dileep, the eighth accused in the case, the trial court had also acquitted three others -- Charley Thomas (A7), Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil (A9) and Sarath (A15).
The trial court had convicted the first six accused in the case -- Sunil also known as Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, and Pradeep. The appeal is likely to come up for hearing next week, a state government lawyer said.
In December last year, Dileep was acquitted by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court. The actor was accused of conspiring and hiring a gang to execute the crime. The verdict came eight years after the sensational case shook the Malayalam industry. The defence had consistently argued that the case against Dileep was built on circumstantial evidence and uncorroborated testimonies
About the case
The case pertains to an actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films and was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. Sunil N.S., widely known as Pulsar Suni, alleged to have orchestrated the abduction and assault, is the first accused. The trial, which began on March 8, 2018, has been lengthy and complex.
A total of 261 witnesses were examined, many in camera, including several prominent film personalities, with 28 witnesses turning hostile. The crime had shocked Kerala and led to widespread protests within the film fraternity and civil society.
Following the verdict, scenes of visible relief were witnessed among Dileep’s family members and supporters outside the court, while activists vowed to continue their fight for justice through legal and democratic means. The prosecution is expected to examine the judgment in detail before deciding on the possibility of an appeal.
(with inputs from PTI)
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