- By Nidhi Giri
- Mon, 08 Dec 2025 05:20 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Actor Dileep Acquitted: The Kerala government has said that it will appeal against actor Dileep’s verdict in the 2017 South Indian actress abduction and rape case. The Malayalam actor was acquitted by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court on Monday.
State Law Minister P Rajeev stated that the survivor did not receive complete justice. "Though those who were directly involved in the crime were found guilty by the court, it was not the verdict everyone expected," Rajeev told reporters after Dileep was acquitted in the case, reported news agency PTI. "The state government has always stood strongly with the survivor, and that will be continued," he added.
The ten accused who faced trial were Sunil NS alias Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, actor Dileep (real name P Gopalakrishnan), Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil, and Sharath.
The Court found six guilty for abducting, assaulting and subjecting the survivor to gang rape in Kochi. Three other persons, apart from Dileep, have been acquitted in the case. The court found prime accused Sunil NS alias Pulsar Suni as guilty.
"This was a conspiracy against me," Dileep told reporters after the verdict. "I am finally relieved after the verdict," he added.
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What Is 2017 Actress Abduction And Rape Case
The assault on the actress, who has worked in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, after her car was abducted for two hours, had shaken the conscience of Kerala society.
According to the prosecution, several persons forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017 and later escaped in a busy area.
Police arrested the accused soon after the incident and filed the first charge sheet against seven persons in April 2017.
During further investigation, Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017 after the probe team found that the prime accused, Suni, had allegedly sent a letter to him from jail.
Dileep was granted bail on October 3, 2017.