Kerala Actor Assault Case: Trial Against Dileep Begins

The trial for the sexual assault case in which actor Dileep is the alleged mastermind, will start on 29 January.

The court had earlier dismissed a plea by actor Dileep to grant him 10 days to file an appeal in a higher court.

(Photo: The News Minute)

It’s been three years since a Malayalam actor was kidnapped and sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle. The trial in the case finally commenced at the Additional Special Sessions Court in Kochi on Thursday, 30 January.

Meanwhile, actor Dileep has alleged that he has been illegally charged in the case. He has approached the High Court of Kerala, seeking discharge.

He has been accused of being the mastermind in the case of alleged kidnapping and molestation of the actor in 2017. He was jailed for about eight months back in 2017.

Dileep has now filed a case claiming that Pulsar Suni and three other accused had threatened him.

He claims he was the real victim in this case and should not be considered as an accused. Trial on the basis of the present chargesheet would be a violation of the law, he added.

Moves HC Again

The trial court had earlier rejected his discharge petition.

“I didn’t get time to approach higher court on rejection of discharge petition. It is to be noted that the charges against me and other accused are different. Hence, indictment can’t be done together,” he said in the petition, reported Mathrubhumi.

On 20 December, he, along with his lawyers and a technical expert, examined visual evidence of the alleged act, that was allegedly recorded by the other accused persons in the case, at a trial courtroom in Kochi.

Dileep had claimed that the visuals have been edited, reported Media One.

SC Order to Fastrack

The court also had rejected his demand to stall the trial for ten days for him to approach high court.

The court has argued in the past that there are strong preliminary evidences against Dileep.

In the past, Dileep has been accused of filing several pleas, to delay trial proceedings.

Supreme Court had ordered to fast track the case and that it should be completed within six months.

AMMA Criticised for Not Taking a Strong Stand

The Executive Committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) has time and again been criticised for its partisan ways of functioning.

The group has been accused of shielding the actor, who was reinstated in AMMA on 25 June 2018, when Mohanlal took over as president. Dileep had earlier been suspended when he was questioned and arrested. He later had to tender his resignation from the committee.

Four female actors, Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeesan, Geethu Mohandas and the survivor, had resigned from AMMA.

The survivor of the assault had previously even complained to AMMA that she had been denied opportunities in the industry because of Dileep. However, AMMA had denied that such a complaint had been given in writing.

The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) has also raised the issue persistently since June.