Kerala HC seeks report on delay in actor assault trial
The Kerala High Court, on Tuesday, August 12, has directed the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court to submit a report explaining the delay in concluding the trial in the 2017 Kerala actor assault case.
The case, which began trial in March 2018, concerns the February 17, 2017 abduction and sexual assault of a popular Malayalam actor inside a moving vehicle in Kochi. Actor Dileep and eight others are accused in the case, with Dileep alleged to be the mastermind. The assault was recorded by the attackers, led by the first accused, Pulsar Suni. Arguments in the trial concluded this April.
The High Court’s latest step follows years of legal back-and-forth. The Supreme Court has extended the trial deadline multiple times — most recently on August 4, 2023, setting a new date of March 31, 2024. Earlier deadlines of January 31, 2022, and July 31, 2023, were also pushed back, often due to new developments which prompted further investigation.
In September 2024, the Supreme Court granted bail to Pulsar Suni after over seven years in custody, noting that other co-accused, including Dileep, were already out on bail. The Kerala government has repeatedly accused Dileep of attempting to derail the proceedings through prolonged cross-examinations and other tactics, while his lawyer, B Raman Pillai, insists the prosecution is responsible for the delays.
The trial has also been marred by changes in prosecution counsel and disputes over the conduct of presiding judge Honey M Varghese. Special public prosecutors have resigned citing an “uncongenial” atmosphere in court, and petitions seeking transfer of the judge have been rejected by both the High Court and Supreme Court.
The state has alleged that Dileep’s legal team took months to cross-examine key witnesses — 87 days for the investigating officer alone — compared to just days taken by other defence teams. Dileep’s counsel has countered that transfer petitions and prosecution strategies have been the main cause of delays.