Malayalam Actor Dileep cleared in 2017 abduction case
A Kerala court docket has acquitted Malayalam celebrity Dileep within the 2017 abduction and rape case of a distinguished actress, whereas six others had been convicted. The actress, who has starred in over 80 movies and received a number of awards, was assaulted by a bunch of males whereas touring from Thrissur to Kochi in February 2017. The court docket, led by Choose Honey M Varghese, pronounced the decision on Monday with heightened safety measures in place.
Dileep, who denied the fees of legal conspiracy, was arrested in 2017 and spent three months in custody earlier than being launched on bail. The police had charged him and 11 others with gang rape, abduction, and sexual assault. The actress, who waived her anonymity in 2022, spoke to the BBC about her ordeal, describing it as a “tough journey from sufferer to survivor”.
Her account sparked widespread assist from Kerala stars like Mohanlal and Mammootty, and Bollywood actresses.The actress recounted being kidnapped whereas heading to dub for a movie, together with her attackers making movies of the assault, probably for blackmail. She confronted victim-shaming on-line, with hurtful questions on her journey time and morality.
The assault led the state authorities to kind a panel, ensuing within the Hema Committee report, which uncovered systemic sexual harassment in Kerala’s movie business, dominated by “a mafia of highly effective males”. The sentencing for the six convicted males is scheduled for December 12, and the actress has the choice to enchantment the decision within the Excessive Courtroom.
