8.5-year-long trial; case adjourned 27 times – What lies ahead for Dileep in actress assault case?

Kochi: The final verdict in the high-profile actress assault case is set to be delivered on December 8, bringing to a close a trial that has lasted eight-and-a-half years. The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court will deliver the verdict.

According to the charges, the actress was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted while being taken in a vehicle, with defamatory visuals recorded. Nine accused faced trial in the case, including the first accused N S Sunil, also known as ‘Pulsar Suni’, and actor Dileep, who is the eighth accused. Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese completed the witness examination.

All the accused, including Dileep, are required to appear in court on December 8. The trial proceedings, including arguments, were completed on April 11. Since then, the case had been adjourned 27 times to clarify arguments.

The case, which has spanned eight-and-a-half years, has been a major topic of public discussion. The verdict on December 8 is expected to be decisive, particularly regarding actor Dileep’s future. The prosecution has argued that Dileep had issued the summons to Pulsar Suni due to personal animosity toward the actress. Key aspects of the case also included memory card examinations and other evidence. The court announced the verdict date after all doubts raised by the prosecution were addressed.

The Nedumbassery Police Crime Branch completed the investigation. As per the supplementary chargesheet, Dileep was implicated in a conspiracy to commit rape. The assault on the actress occurred on February 17, 2017 in a moving vehicle in Kochi. The trial began in March 2018.

The court examined 261 witnesses and considered 1,700 documents. Pulsar Suni, who was arrested in February 2017, was granted bail by the Supreme Court in September last year, following strong dissatisfaction with the trial delays.

Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017 and subsequently granted bail in October with conditions. Initially, the case named seven accused; Dileep was added as the eighth accused in the supplementary chargesheet. His plea for a CBI investigation was dismissed by the High Court Division Bench in April this year.