Actress assault case: Kerala High Court notifies Dileep and others on State’s appeal
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday condoned a 17-day delay in the appeal filed by the State challenging the acquittal of actor Dileep and others in the 2017 actress assault case, and issued notices to all respondents, including Dileep.
The Division Bench of Dr. Justice A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian accepted the appeal, which also seeks enhancement of sentences for accused Nos. 1 to 6, arguing that the punishment awarded was inadequate given the severity of the crime and its societal impact.
The trial court had convicted Pulsar Suni (A1), Martin Antony (A2), B. Manikandan (A3), V.P. Vijeesh (A4), H. Saleem (A5), and C. Pradeep (A6) under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 340 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault to outrage modesty), 366 (kidnapping), 354B (assault to disrobe), and 376D (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code. They were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for gang rape, with concurrent sentences for other offences, and directed to pay ₹5 lakh from the fine to the survivor as compensation.
Apart from Dileep (A8), the State has also challenged the acquittal of Charly Thomas (A7), Sanilkumar (A9), and Sarath G. Nair (A15), who were acquitted of criminal conspiracy charges. The State contends that the acquittals are unsustainable, arguing that the trial court failed to consider the evidence in the context of a larger conspiracy.
Notices were sent to the acquitted accused through the Nedumbassery SHO. The government’s 300-page appeal highlights alleged shortcomings in the trial court’s examination of facts and legal aspects, and demands maximum punishment for the convicted accused.
The incident took place on 17 February 2017, when the actress was attacked while travelling from Thrissur to Kochi. After an eight-year trial, the verdict was delivered on 8 December 2025, convicting six accused while acquitting Dileep and others, which the State now seeks to overturn in the High Court.