The survivor in the 2017 actor assault case has filed a contempt of court petition against former Director General of Police (DGP) R Sreelekha under Sections 3 and 15(2) of the Contempt of Courts Act, citing controversial remarks made by the former top police officer regarding the case.
The case, which rocked Kerala’s film industry, involves 10 accused, including actor Dileep, who is alleged to have masterminded the crime. Dileep was detained for nearly six months before being granted bail.
In July 2022, Sreelekha posted a video on her YouTube channel Sasneham Sreelekha (With Love, Sreelekha) titled Dileep Innocent in Assault Case?. In the video, she expressed being “100% sure” of Dileep’s innocence, while also stating, “Even now, I don’t believe the case was fabricated, because I have faith in the police. If they made a mistake, why can’t they admit that they arrested Dileep out of pressure?”
Her remarks prompted the prosecution in 2022 to seek an extension to complete the trial, asserting that the comments required verification, as Sreelekha was the DGP of Prisons during Dileep’s judicial custody.
Sreelekha, who has been embroiled in controversies in the past, received a clean chit on corruption allegations but faced criticism for claims made on her YouTube series. Her remarks in an episode alleging that women police officials faced sexual harassment sparked discontent within the force.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the survivor wrote to the President of India, demanding action against those responsible for leaking a memory card containing footage of her assault. She also sought accountability for the violation of her privacy.