Malayalam Actor Assault Case: Why Are New Allegations Against Dileep Important?

Allegations, levelled against actor Dileep, come at a time when the case was coming to a close.

The case has dragged on in the Kerala HC for over two years, with several key witnesses turning hostile and resignation of two public prosecutors.

(Photo: Namita Chauhan/The Quint)

The 2017 assault against a popular Malayalam actor, who was allegedly abducted in a moving car in Kerala’s Kochi, continues to rock the state with new evidence surfacing, which may give it a fresh direction.

The new allegations levelled by film-maker Balachandrakumar come at a time when the trial case, which involves top Malayalam actor Dileep as a prime accused, is nearing completion.

The case also threw a shadow over the Malayalam film industry, which in the start supported the survivor but quickly moved to the Dileep camp. Even the powerful Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, which revoked Dileep’s membership initially, took him back.

The case has dragged on in the Kerala HC for over two years, with several key witnesses turning hostile and resignation of two public prosecutors.

These twists and turns in the case were also highlighted in the survivor's statement, who, on 10 January, revealed her identity for the first time. In a social media post, she said that “this has not been an easy journey. The journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor.”

So what are these new startling allegations? Why are they important? And what will the police be looking for in the new probe?

We discuss the fresh developments in the case with Dhanya Rajendran, the editor-in-chief of The News Minute, who has been following the case from the start and Nikhila Henry, The Quint’s South Bureau Chief.