‘This was a fabricated case to destroy my career and image… A prominent police officer and a gang of criminal police have created this,’ the actor said later
The district sessions court in Ernakulam on Monday acquitted actor Dileep in the 2017 case related to the abduction and sexual assault of an actor in a moving vehicle. However, the court found the first six accused persons guilty, and the quantum of punishment will be pronounced on December 12.
Those found guilty include Pulsar Suni, 37, a driver with close links to the film industry. The other five accused persons were also in the moving vehicle while the actor was being assaulted: Martin Antony, 33, is a driver with a studio in Kochi; B Manikandan, 37, is also a driver; Vijeesh V P, 38, is an electrician, while Salim H, 30, and Pradeep, 31, are bus crew.
AlSO READ :- Parliament Winter Session Day 6 LIVE Updates: “Vande Mataram Energised Our Freedom Movement”: PM Modi In Parliament
They were also charged with gang rape, conspiracy, outraging the modesty of a woman, wrongful confinement, use of criminal force, destruction of evidence, and taking and distributing obscene images under relevant Indian Penal Code Sections.
Emerging from the court, Dileep told the media, “This was a fabricated case to destroy my career and image… A prominent police officer and a gang of criminal police have created this. This police gang had fabricated a story with the help of a few media, and spread the story. Today, that fabricated story has collapsed. The real conspiracy was to make an accused in the case. I thank all the people who prayed for me, and the lawyers who have defended me in the last eight years.”
Apart from Dileep, the court also acquitted Charlie Thomas, Sanil Kumar alias Mestri Sanil, and Sarath Nair. Charlie had been accused of providing a hideout for other accused after the incident. Sanil had faced charges of conspiring with Pulsur Sunil in jail to extract money by threatening Dileep. Sarath faced charges for handing over and destroying the visuals of the sexual assault. The court had declared three other accused, Vishnu, Vipinlal and Aneesh, as approvers.
