KOCHI: A Kerala sessions court acquitted Monday Malayalam film star Dileep in the 2017 abduction and gang-rape of a fellow actor, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove he conspired to orchestrate the crime. The six-member gang that carried out the assault, led by Sunil NS alias Pulsar Suni, was convicted of gang rape and other serious charges. Sentencing for the convicted is scheduled for Dec 12.Dileep, charged by police as the alleged mastermind, was cleared of conspiracy, gang rape, destruction of evidence and IT Act violations. GSarath, a friend, added later in the probe, was acquitted of evidence-tampering charges. Two others accused of aiding the crime were also cleared.
Judge Honey M Varghese delivered the verdict before a packed courtroom. “Considering the gravity of the offences against a woman, the convicted are not entitled to the benefit of probation,” the court said while remanding them in custody.The convicted include Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh VP, Salim H and Pradeep. They were found guilty of criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement, sexual assault, disrobing, attempt to confine, gang rape under the Indian Penal Code, and violations of the Information Technology Act for recording and publishing sexually explicit material.Prosecutors said the survivor, a popular film actor, was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi on the night of Feb 17, 2017, when her car was allegedly tracked by the gang using location updates supplied by Martin Antony. Near Athani, the gang staged a fake road accident, forced their way into the car, abducted her and drove to an isolated area in Kochi. Police said Suni threatened the survivor, sexually assaulted her and secretly recorded the attack on a mobile phone.Dileep was arrested five months later, in July 2017, after investigators alleged he had hired the gang over a personal grudge linked to his estranged relationship with ex-wife Manju Warrier. The court ruled that the alleged conspiracy was not established beyond doubt.
