Days after the Ernakulam High Court acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 actress assault case, the survivor expressed gratitude for the conviction of the six accused. She criticized false narratives about her relationship with one of the accused and highlighted her suffering throughout the trial.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the actress said: “After 8 years, 9 months and 23 days I have finally seen a small ray of light at the end of a very long and painful journey. Six of the accused have been convicted and for that I am THANKFUL!!”
The statement is the survivor’s first public comment after the trial court’s verdict that sentenced six people involved in the sexual assault case to 20 years and acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in the same case.
“After years of pain, tears and emotional struggle, I have come to a painful realization: not every citizen in this country is treated equally before the law,” she wrote, while expressing relief that six of the accused were convicted.
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Read her full post here –
Evoking false narratives
The actress denied all false allegations that “accused No. 1” was her driver or employee.
“This moment is dedicated to those who chose to call my pain a lie and this case a made-up story. I hope you are at peace with yourself today!” said the actress.
“And to those who keep saying that defendant #1 was my personal driver, that is completely wrong! He was not my driver, nor my employee, nor anyone I knew. He was a random person who happened to be assigned as a driver for a film I was working on in 2016! Ironically, I only met him once or twice during that time and never again until the day this crime happened,” she added.
Read also | Actor Dileep acquitted in high-profile sexual assault case in 2017 — Timeline
“I was not surprised by the verdict,” says the survivor
The actress expressed no surprise at the verdict, saying, “This verdict may surprise a lot of people, but it didn’t surprise me. Already in 2020, I started to feel that something was wrong. Even the prosecution saw changes in the way the case was handled, especially when it came to one particular accused.”
She added: “At the end of the day, this judgment made me realize how powerfully human judgment can shape a decision. I also know that not every court works the same way!”
Gratitude for supporters in the midst of hate
While thanking the people who supported her, the actress said, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has stood by me throughout this long journey!! And to those who continue to attack me with offensive comments and paid narratives, you can keep doing what you are paid to do!”
What is the 2017 actress assault case?
The case relates to the kidnapping and sexual assault of a well-known South Indian actress on 17 February 2017 while she was traveling for a film set in Thrissur. A group of men allegedly forced their way into her moving vehicle, assaulted her and recorded videos of the attack.
The following day, Martin Antony, the driver of the vehicle, was taken into custody. Within a week, police arrested Pulsar Suni, who was identified as the original suspect. More arrests were made over the course of the month as the investigation continued. Suni was in custody for over seven years until the Supreme Court granted his bail last year.
Why was Dileep named in the case?
Police arrested actor Dileep on charges of criminal conspiracy in July 2017 for allegedly plotting revenge after the survivor told his then-wife about the alleged extramarital affair.
His initial bail pleas were rejected twice by the Kerala High Court. He was finally granted bail in October 2017 after 83 days in custody.
The Crime Branch later charged Dileep with breaching his bail conditions, but the court ultimately ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict him.
