Kerala govt says Dileep delaying trial in actor assault case, submits stats in court
The Kerala government has accused actor Dileep of trying to delay the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case trial and weaken the prosecution’s evidence. The Kerala government has alleged that Dileep and his lawyers have delayed the trial by taking months to cross-examine officials involved in the case, spending 87 days over a span of 7 months to examine Baiju Poulose, the lead investigator in the case.
The Kerala government made these statements in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, opposing the bail application filed by Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the case. Suni had approached the court citing health issues and the fact that he has been an undertrial for six years. In June 2024, the Kerala High Court imposed a Rs 25,000 penalty on Suni for repeatedly filing bail applications, dismissing his 10th such plea.
The Supreme Court had sought the state’s position on the bail plea. The state, while opposing Suni’s bail, also pointed out that the delay was being caused by Dileep. In February 2017, a female actor was kidnapped and sexually assaulted. In February 2017, a female actor was kidnapped and sexually assaulted. While Pulsar Suni carried out the abduction and assault, Dileep is accused of masterminding the conspiracy.
The state has told the Supreme Court that it was Dileep who was stalling the investigation through lengthy cross-examinations of the accused and witnesses in the case. The affidavit stated that Dileep’s lawyers took 87 days across seven months, spanning over 1,800 pages of deposition to cross-examine Baiju Poulose. “The IO’s cross-examination by all the accused, except A8 (Dileep), was completed in one and a half days.”
While the prosecution and counsels of other accused finished cross examination of the survivor in 3 days, Dileep took seven days. Dileep’s lawyers took 35.5 days to cross-examine director Balachandrakumar, who was close to Dileep, and then turned whistleblower. Sai Shankar, who was allegedly employed by Dileep to destroy material on his phone and later turned an approver in the case, was questioned for 10 days.
Opposing Suni’s bail plea, the state’s affidavit said that he was at liberty for bail only if the trial was not concluded within a reasonable time. “There is no change in circumstances on merit from the previous bail application by Pulsar Suni, as the trial is nearing its conclusion. The Supreme Court had directed the trial judge to complete the examination of witnesses as early as possible,” it said, adding that no further investigation was going on in the case.
The state government has also said that if Pulsar Suni is granted bail, he could possibly hamper the trial or abscond the legal process. “It is quite definite that such a person will make all efforts possible to torpedo the trial process either by absconding from the legal process or by threatening the privacy of victim by publishing the visuals of sexual assault on victim. If the accused is released on bail, that will cause serious prejudice especially when the trial is nearing to conclude shortly,” it added.
The government also said that the trial is expected to go on for more than 30 days, as both the prosecution and the 10 accused will have to present their arguments. “It is humbly submitted that the granting of bail in this case will be against the principle laid down by the Apex Court in cases where the gravity of the offences are severe and the possibility of the witnesses being tampered with,” the government said.