Malayalam actor Dileep acquitted after 8 years: Complete timeline of Kerala’s most controversial assault case

Kerala Actor Rape Case: Eight years after one of Kerala’s most shocking crimes shook the Malayalam film industry, actor Dileep has been acquitted in the 2017 actress abduction and sexual assault case. What began as a late-night attack on a leading female actor in Kochi grew into one of the most closely watched trials in the country.

The survivor was abducted and assaulted on February 17, 2017, in a moving car. Within days, prime accused Sunil Kumar, known as Pulsar Suni, and others were arrested. What looked like an investigation, changed course when allegations surfaced linking Dileep to the crime. His arrest in July 2017 stunned the industry and led to divided public opinion. Over the next eight years, the case witnessed, leaked audio clips, multiple petitions, demands for a CBI inquiry, and accusations of a compromised trial process.

February 17, 2017: The crime that shook Kerala

On the night of February 17, a prominent female actor who worked in the South Indian film industry was abducted and sexually assaulted by a group of men in a moving car in Kochi. Pulsar Suni recorded the assault on eight video clips. Within 48 hours, three of the seven accused were arrested, and Suni was caught soon after.

April 2017: First chargesheet

The police filed the first chargesheet naming Suni and six others. At this stage, the investigation did not mention any conspiracy or external involvement.

May 2017: Formation of the Women in Cinema Collective

As the incident shook the industry, a group of women actors came together to support the survivor. They formed the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) to highlight gender-based problems within Malayalam cinema. Members met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and submitted a memorandum seeking action and safer work environments.

June 2017: A letter that changed everything

A major twist happened when a letter allegedly written by Pulsar Suni to actor Dileep surfaced. In it, Suni claimed Dileep had failed to arrange legal help for him and demanded money. Dileep denied the claims and instead suggested, in an interview, that the survivor had been friendly with Suni.

Soon after, the Special Investigation Team questioned Dileep and his close friend Nadirshah for 13 hours.

July 10, 2017: Dileep arrested

As the case progressed, Dileep was arrested on July 10. As a powerful figure in Malayalam cinema and the treasurer of A.M.M.A., his arrest shocked the industry. Under public pressure, A.M.M.A. expelled him, and other industry bodies followed.

September 2017: Avalkoppam campaign

Kerala’s public discourse split into two camps, those supporting Dileep and those supporting the survivor. When Dileep’s film Ramleela released amidst the controversy, calls for a boycott grew.

WCC launched its ‘Avalkoppam’ (We Stand With Her) campaign at the state film awards ceremony. On October 3, after 85 days in jail, Dileep received bail.

November 2017: Second chargesheet

A second chargesheet named 12 accused, with Dileep listed as the eighth. The chargesheet also named actor Manju Warrier, his former wife, as a key witness. Several industry personalities appeared as witnesses.

January 2018: Video evidence controversy

Dileep approached court seeking a copy of the assault video to prove his innocence. The plea was rejected because of the extreme sensitivity of the evidence. The trial was shifted to the Ernakulam District Sessions Court, and senior officers involved in the investigation, including ADGP Sandhya, were transferred.

June 2018: A.M.M.A. row and plea for CBI probe

Mohanlal, newly elected president of A.M.M.A., announced Dileep would be reinstated. The move faced strong backlash, leading the survivor and three WCC members to quit the organisation. Dileep later declined the reinstatement.

He approached the Kerala High Court requesting a CBI probe, claiming he had no faith in the state police.

August–December 2018: Battle over visuals

Dileep continued filing petitions demanding access to the visuals. The Kerala government opposed it firmly, arguing that even a small leak would violate the survivor’s dignity. The High Court rejected the plea for a CBI probe. Dileep appealed to the Supreme Court but faced setbacks there as well.

February 2019: Survivor seeks female judge

Acting on the survivor’s request, the state appointed Judge Honey M Varghese to preside over the trial. The survivor also requested an in-camera trial for privacy.

May–December 2019: Supreme Court’s final word

In May, the Supreme Court stayed the trial to examine if Dileep could be given a copy of the visuals. The survivor opposed it strongly. In November, the court refused his plea. Dileep had already watched the visuals thrice with experts, and the court felt a copy was unnecessary.

2020: Witnesses turn hostile and allegations of bias

The trial began in January 2020. Soon, several key witnesses changed their earlier statements, shocking the prosecution. Later that year, the survivor moved HC alleging bias by the trial court, but her request for transfer was rejected. The Special Public Prosecutor resigned, citing the court’s conduct.

December 2021: Another twist—Balachandrakumar’s claims

Director Balachandrakumar alleged publicly that he had seen Pulsar Suni at Dileep’s home and that Dileep and others had watched the assault visuals there. The allegations revived public interest in the case. The next day, the Special Prosecutor resigned after a confrontation in court.

January–February 2022: New FIR and survivor’s public statement

Audio clips recorded by Balachandrakumar emerged, with a voice alleged to be Dileep speaking about harming officers who investigated him. A new FIR was registered for conspiracy. Crime Branch raided Dileep’s home.

Amid the heightened tension, the survivor posted on social media for the first time, saying she was not alone and expressing concern that the visuals may have leaked.

April 2022: More audio leaks

Another call recording involving Dileep’s brother-in-law emerged, suggesting that Dileep’s team had detailed access to the assault visuals. A reshuffle soon moved ADGP Sreejith, who was part of the investigation team, out of the Crime Branch.

May 2022: Hacker approver

A hacker named Sai Shankar turned approver and said he helped Dileep erase data from phones. Around the same time, a photo surfaced showing Dileep and Balachandrakumar had met earlier than claimed.

June–October 2022: Memory card access questions

A forensic report revealed that the assault visuals stored in the memory card had been accessed twice while in court custody, and a later report said thrice. The survivor wrote to the Supreme Court fearing a leak. The Crime Branch sought cancellation of Dileep’s bail.

2023–2024: Memory card leak probe

The High Court later appointed an amicus curiae to help draft guidelines on handling electronic evidence in court. However, he stepped down after allegations of a conflict of interest were raised by the prosecution.

Around the same time, a Sessions Court inquiry found that a magistrate and two court staff had illegally accessed the assault visuals while the memory card was in judicial custody. Following this, the survivor demanded an SIT probe and said her privacy had been seriously violated.

August 2024: Hema Report release

In August 2024, the Kerala government released a redacted version of the Hema Committee report. The report detailed shocking accounts of sexual harassment and exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Its release led to several women coming forward with complaints, resulting in more than 30 FIRs being filed. All A.M.M.A. office-bearers resigned after the public outrage.