On December 8, a major trial in India concluded with the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court acquitting renowned Malayalam actor Dileep of charges related to the abduction and assault of a prominent South Indian actress from eight years earlier. Meanwhile, six other defendants were found guilty.
The influential actor, known for films like Kammara Sambhavam, Meesha Madhavan, Kalyanaraman, CID Moosa, and Kuberan, claimed outside the court that a “criminal conspiracy” against him began when his ex-wife, actress Manju Warrier, accused him.
Below is a timeline highlighting key events in the case over the past eight years.
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February 17, 2017
A leading actress, celebrated for her roles in South Indian films, was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving car while traveling from Thrissur to Kochi.
The main suspect, Sunil Kumar, alias Pulsar Suni, recorded the assault on a mobile device.
February 18, 2017
The actress reported the incident to the police, leading to the registration of a first information report, which initiated the investigation in India. Three arrests followed promptly.
April 2017
Authorities filed the first chargesheet, naming Pulsar Suni and six accomplices.
May 2017
Women actors and other figures formed the Women in Cinema Collective, meeting Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to demand action.
June 2017
A letter, reportedly from Pulsar Suni, emerged, claiming he hadn’t “betrayed” Dileep and requested financial help. Dileep denied these allegations, marking his first direct involvement in the case.
Dileep and filmmaker Nadirshah were questioned by a special investigation team for about 13 hours.
July 2017
Dileep, then the treasurer of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists), was arrested for conspiracy. His wife Kavya Madhavan’s business premises were also searched.
Dileep was expelled from AMMA, and the Kerala government established the Justice Hema Committee to investigate sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.
October 2017
After nearly three months in custody, Dileep received conditional bail from the Kerala High Court, requiring a Rs 100,000 bond and passport surrender.
November 2017
A second chargesheet was filed, listing 12 accused with Dileep as the eighth.
March 2018
The trial commenced on March 8.
June 2018
Dileep requested a transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, citing distrust in Kerala Police.
Actor Mohanlal, as AMMA president, attempted to reinstate Dileep, but faced opposition from the WCC; Dileep declined the offer.
Throughout 2018, Dileep sought access to assault footage through various courts, but the Kerala government opposed it, citing survivor privacy violations.
February 2019
The Kerala government appointed Justice Honey M Varghese to oversee the case.
2020
Charges against Dileep were formalized in January.
Key witnesses, such as actors Siddique, Edavela Babu, Bhama, and Bindu Panicker, turned hostile after initially acknowledging Dileep’s animosity towards the survivor.
In October, the survivor requested a change of judge, alleging bias, but the court denied it.
December 2021
Filmmaker Balachandrakumar claimed to have witnessed Pulsar Suni at Dileep’s residence and that Dileep’s family and a VIP viewed the assault footage. The following day, special public prosecutor Anil Kumar resigned over a dispute with the judge, succeeding A Suresan.
A month later, Dileep faced a first information report for allegedly threatening investigators and manipulating witnesses. In February, Dileep and others were granted anticipatory bail.
June 2022
Forensic analysis revealed a memory card containing assault visuals was repeatedly accessed while under court custody, suggesting possible tampering.
In September, the survivor reached out to the Supreme Court over concerns about potential leaks of the footage.
August 2024
The Kerala government released the Justice Hema Committee report, heavily redacted, which detailed widespread sexual harassment in Malayalam cinema. AMMA officials, including Mohanlal, resigned.
Balachandrakumar passed away in December due to kidney issues.
February 2025
The trial concluded, but hearings continued for several months. A total of 261 witnesses were examined since the trial began, with 28 becoming hostile.
December 2025
The verdict was announced on December 8, 2025, acquitting Dileep. The judgment was delivered by Judge Honey M Varghese of the Principal District and Sessions Court in Ernakulam.
Sentencing for the six convicted individuals is scheduled for December 12.
Many Malayalam film industry actors, including Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal, and Remya Nambeesan, expressed support for the survivor on social media, sharing the WCC’s campaign message Avalkoppam (We stand with her), originally launched after the February 2017 assault.
