After nine years, actor Dileep acquitted in sexual assault conspiracy case: A look at the timeline

While six accused have been found guilty of rape and other offences, Dileep, alleged to be the orchestrator of the crime, has been let off, after a long legal trial that saw many twists and turns.

Here’s a timeline of the case

February 17, 2017 – The Assault and Abduction: Six men allegedly abducted the actor while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi. She was confined in her own vehicle, and Pulsar Suni, a history sheeter, allegedly assaulted and filmed her. She was later dropped near a director’s residence, who helped her file a police complaint. A case was registered the same day.

July 10, 2017 – Actor Dileep Arrested:  Dileep was arrested on charges of conspiracy in the assault. The police accused him of hiring the gang led by Pulsar Suni. His arrest sent major shockwaves across Kerala’s film industry and triggered a long legal battle.

January 30, 2020 – Trial Begins: Judge Honey M Varghese took charge of the Additional Special Sessions Court in 2019, and the trial formally began in January 2020. By then, the case had already seen multiple procedural delays. The prosecution prepared to examine a long list of witnesses.

December 2020 – Special prosecutor resigns, transfer plea filed: Special Prosecutor A Suresan resigned midway. The prosecution moved higher courts seeking to shift the trial to another court, citing concerns over its progress. This added another layer of delay to an already prolonged process.

December 29, 2021 – New information, trial halted again: On the day the investigation officer was to depose as the final witness, the prosecution told the court that new leads had emerged. They sought further investigation, putting the trial on hold once again. This reset the proceedings and reopened parts of the probe.

2021–2022 – Change of special prosecutors: After the trial resumed, V N Anilkumar was appointed as Special Public Prosecutor but quit in December 2021. He was replaced by V Ajakumar. Frequent changes in prosecution leadership became a recurring feature of the case.

2022 – Memory card tampering allegations Police approached the trial court seeking a probe into alleged illegal access to the crucial memory card containing assault visuals. Though the trial court dismissed the plea, the Kerala High Court later ordered a fact-finding inquiry after the survivor raised tampering allegations. It emerged that the card had been accessed by a magistrate and later by court staff.

December 2023 – High Court Issues Guidelines Following revelations of unauthorised access, the Kerala High Court issued detailed SOPs for storing and handling sexually explicit evidence. The guidelines aimed to plug systemic lapses exposed during this case.

Trial Progress – Witnesses, Evidence, and Delays: A total of 261 witnesses were examined, including several actors, many of whom turned hostile. The investigation officer alone was cross-examined across 109 days. The court admitted 834 documents, and two defence witnesses were heard. Two key witnesses—former MLA P T Thomas and director Balachandra Kumar—died during the trial, adding to complications.

Investigation Team’s view: An officer who worked on the probe said the evidence presented was exhaustive and the delays stemmed from various trial developments. The team expressed confidence in the outcome as the trial neared its conclusion.