Kerala Actress Assault Case Survivor Meets Kerala CM Pinarayi Assures Full Support
The survivor wrote a detailed post on social media criticising the trial court verdict and expressing her lack of trust in the judgment. She recalled the pleas she had made in the Kerala High Court and Supreme Court seeking a transfer of the case.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Days after the verdict in the 2017 actress assault case, the survivor met Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his official residence, Cliff House, on Tuesday.
During the hour-long meeting, the chief minister assured her of full support from the Kerala government and said the people of the state stood with her. He also mentioned that the state would soon file an appeal against the trial court’s verdict.
The government has decided to challenge the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court’s verdict to acquit four accused, including actor Dileep. Seven accused, including Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh V P, Saleem H, and Pradeep, were found guilty. Six of them, including Pulsar Suni, were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. Besides Dileep, the court also acquitted Charley Thomas, Sanilkumar alias Mesthiri Sanil, and Sarath G Nair.
The survivor wrote a detailed post on social media criticising the trial court verdict and expressing her lack of trust in the judgment. She recalled the pleas she had made in the Kerala High Court and Supreme Court seeking a transfer of the case. However, her pleas, including the request to change the presiding judge, were dismissed.
2017 Actress assault case
The shocking incident occurred on February 17, 2017, when the actress was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted inside a moving car while travelling from Thrissur to Ernakulam. Near Angamaly, another vehicle rammed into the car she was in, and a group of men attacked the driver.
They then forcibly entered her vehicle and drove along the highway. During this time, the main accused, Pulsar Suni, assaulted the actress and recorded the act on his mobile phone. After the crime, the gang abandoned her outside a film director’s residence and fled.
Police later arrested seven people in connection with the assault, suspecting a conspiracy and that the recording was meant for blackmail. Suspicion fell on Dileep after a letter from Pulsar Suni, addressed to him, surfaced from jail. Dileep denied the allegations, accusing the media of spreading lies. He was taken into custody in July 2017 and spent 85 days in jail before being granted bail.