Malayalam Actor Dileep Acquitted In South Actress Abduction And Sexual Assault Case

New Delhi: Malayalam actor Dileep has been acquitted in the sensational 2017 South actress abduction and sexual assault case. The trial lasted for about eight long years. 

According to The Hindu report, Honey M Varghese, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge, on Monday acquitted Dileep of the offences charged against him in the case after the trial.

On December 8, 2025, Dileep, the eighth accused in the case, reached the court in Ernakulam, Kerala, on Monday morning amid tight security. At around 9.30 a.m., Dileep left his residence along with his brother and another accused in the case, proceeding first to the office of his legal counsel before heading to the court premises. A battery of press photographers was present at his home and also at the court premises. He was spotted wearing a white shirt and pants, as per IANS.

All 10 accused in the case have been directed by the court to be present in person at the time of pronouncement of the judgment.

The verdict marks the culmination of nearly eight years of prolonged legal battle following the February 2017 abduction and assault of a prominent Malayalam actress.

The prosecution alleged that the crime was executed as part of a criminal conspiracy, with Dileep accused of orchestrating the attack. The actor, however, has consistently maintained his innocence.

The case, one of the most high-profile trials in Kerala’s legal and cultural history, has had far-reaching consequences for the Malayalam film industry and triggered national debates on women’s safety, abuse of power and accountability in cinema.

(With IANS Inputs)