Published Jun 22, 2026 | 6:52 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 22, 2026 | 6:52 PM
Actor Dileep.
Synopsis: In December, the Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court sentenced six accused, including prime accused Pulsar Suni to 20 years in prison for offences including rape, abduction and conspiracy. Dileep was acquitted after the court found that the prosecution failed to establish the alleged conspiracy.
The Kerala High Court on Monday, 22 June, admitted the state governments appeal seeking a tougher sentence for those convicted and challenging the acquittal of actor Dileep and others in the actress assault case. The state has also challenged the acquittal of accused Nos. 7, 9 and 15- Charly Thomas, Sanilkumar alias Mesthiri Sanil and Sarath G Nair in the alleged conspiracy case.
The Division Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan.V and K.V Jayakumar is also hearing appeals filed by the convicts against their convictions and sentences. The court appointed Special Public Prosecutor V.Ajakumar, who had argued the case in the trial court to represent the state.
Trial court records have been called for and the matter will be considered after two weeks along with the convicts’ sentence suspension petitions.
In December, the Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court sentenced six accused, including prime accused Pulsar Suni to 20 years in prison for offences including rape, abduction and conspiracy. Dileep was acquitted after the court found that the prosecution failed to establish the alleged conspiracy.
The state government later moved the Kerala High Court challenging the acquittal of Dileep and other accused and seeking enhanced punishment.
Earlier, the survivor had filed a plea before the Kerala High Court seeking a fresh probe into the alleged unauthorised access to the memory card containing visuals linked to the case.
A few weeks ago, two High Court judges recused themselves from hearing the petition within a span of two days. Justice Jobin Sebastian withdrew from the matter, citing his earlier administrative role as Registrar General (District Judiciary) when allegations of unauthorised access to the memory card were raised. Justice Kauser Edappagath later stepped aside from considering the plea, orally stating that he would ”avoid this” and declining to hear the case.
The matter was later considered by Justice C.S. Dias who directed the Ernakulam District and Sessions Judge to transfer the memory card and pen drive containing the assault visuals to the High Court Registrar General for safe custody until further orders.
The survivor has sought a court-monitored reinvestigation and the constitution of a SIT to conduct a fair, effective and time-bound probe into the alleged illegal access to the evidence while it was in judicial custody.
The High Court observed that a prima facie case had been made out and granted the respondents one month to file their counter-affidavits.
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(Edited by Sumavarsha)
