Kochi, December 8, 2025 — In a major development that brings an end to a high-profile, eight-year-long legal battle, the court today delivered its final verdict in the 2017 case concerning the attack on a prominent actress.
Actor Dileep, who was named as the eighth accused and charged with conspiracy, was acquitted by the court. However, six other accused involved in the physical commission of the crime were found guilty and convicted.
The special court in Kochi, while delivering the verdict, observed that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient, conclusive evidence to establish the charge of criminal conspiracy against Dileep. The actor had been arrested in July 2017, months after the incident, based on the allegation that he masterminded the attack. Following the acquittal, three other co-accused, including hotel businessman Sarath G Nair, were also relieved of the charges.
The ruling marks a significant twist in the case that had gripped the state’s conscience since the incident occurred on the night of February 17, 2017, near Angamaly, Kochi. The victim was waylaid and allegedly filmed to create defamatory content.
Six Accused Convicted
While Dileep walked free, the court found six individuals directly involved in the crime to be guilty. The convicted individuals include the prime accused, Sunil N.S., alias ‘Pulsar Suni’.
The six convicted accused are:
- Sunil N.S. (Pulsar Suni) – First Accused
- Martin Antony
- B Manikandan
- V P Vijeesh
- H Salim
- Pradeep
The convicted individuals faced multiple serious charges including rape, conspiracy, insulting the modesty of a woman, wrongful confinement, destruction of evidence, and the taking and dissemination of obscene pictures. The court is expected to pronounce the quantum of sentence for the six convicted accused shortly.
