TRIGGER WARNING: The article contains references to rape and abuse.
On February 17, 2017, a leading Malayalam actress was abducted while travelling to a film set in Thrissur. A group of men assaulted her inside a moving vehicle and recorded videos of the attack. The actor reported the crime the very next day. This alone was groundbreaking as her courage became the first crack in an industry that operated with silence and fear.
As reported by Bar and Bench website, driver Martin Antony was arrested on Day 1. Within a week, history-sheeter Sunil NS alias Pulsar Suni was named as the first accused. Four others followed. Until then, it looked like a brutal crime solved quickly, until a letter surfaced from inside the jail.
A secret letter allegedly written by Pulsar Suni and smuggled out of prison hinted that he had been hired for a “job” and needed to be paid. Investigators turned toward actor Dileep. Slowly the 'Janapriya Nayagan's name started emerging on social media, linking to the actress assault case.
The motive alleged by the prosecution: Dileep was furious that the survivor had informed his then wife, Manju Warrier, years earlier about his relationship with actress Kavya Madhavan.
In July 2017, Dileep was arrested and named A8 for allegedly masterminding the assault. His bail was rejected twice before being granted in October 2017. He spent 83 days in jail. Repeated attempts to cancel his bail citing witness intimidation never succeeded.
The trial began on March 8, 2018. Today the list of accused stands as, A1 Pulsar Suni, A2 Martin Antony, A3 Manikandan B, A4 Vijeesh VP, A5 Salim H, A6 Pradeep, A7 Charlie Thomas, A8 Dileep, and A9 Sanilkumar.
One accused, Vishnu, turned approver. Two were discharged. The charges span criminal conspiracy, gang rape, abduction, confinement, destruction of evidence, and IT offences related to capturing and circulating the assault footage. The entire trial was held in-camera.
Judge Honey M Varghese, now Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ernakulam, will deliver the verdict on Monday (December 8). Over the years, changes in prosecutors, transfer petitions, High Court interventions and Supreme Court deadlines added to the delays.
261 witnesses were examined. 28 turned hostile, many from the film industry. Bhama and Siddique, who initially stated they saw Dileep threaten the survivor, withdrew their testimony. Edavela Babu denied earlier claims that the survivor had complained to AMMA.
Securing evidence for Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) became the toughest battle for the prosecution.
Digital data supports the survivor’s account of the assault. But proving that Dileep orchestrated it depends on whether the court accepts testimony and circumstantial links between the actor and Suni. This is the grey zone where the verdict will be decided.
The most disturbing twist came when forensic reports revealed that the memory card containing the assault footage was accessed illegally while in court custody, twice in 2018 and once in 2021. The hash value had changed, meaning the digital evidence might have been altered or copied. The Kerala High Court observed, “The necessary conclusion would be that we failed to protect the victim’s interest, which resulted in the violation of her fundamental constitutional right.” While the investigation tried to move forward, public movement erupted outside the courtroom. #Avalkoppam protests, the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective, and the Justice Hema Committee report exposed systemic sexual harassment in Malayalam cinema.
Whether the court convicts or acquits on December 8, the verdict will not just decide the fate of the accused, it will decide how India remembers one of its most defining battles for justice in cinema.
DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is struggling with abuse, please seek help. Numerous helplines and support resources are available.