Malayalam Actor Dileep Acquitted in 2017 Kerala Actor Assault Case After Long Legal Battle; Know His Net Worth

On Monday, a Kerala court found Malayalam actor Dileep not guilty in the high-profile 2017 actor assault case, bringing to a close a legal battle that lasted nearly eight years. Known off-screen as Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, Dileep is a prominent figure in Malayalam cinema, with over 150 films to his credit. He has also won multiple accolades, including four Kerala State Film Awards and a Filmfare Award South.

Kerala Assault Case Verdict 2017: Malayalam Actor Dileep Cleared of All Charges; Other Accused Found Guilty

While Dileep was acquitted, the court found six other accused guilty of multiple offences, including rape, criminal conspiracy, abduction, and assault to outrage modesty. The convictions included charges of gang rape, attempt to disrobe, wrongful confinement, and abduction under the Indian Penal Code. The verdict was delivered at 11 am by Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese.

Details of the 2017 Kerala Assault Case in Which Actor Dileep's Name Involved

The case involved the abduction and alleged sexual assault of a leading Malayalam actress inside her car in Kochi on February 17, 2017. Ten accused, including Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh VP, Salim H, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil, and Sharath, faced trial for their roles in the incident.

All accused were charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, covering criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, gang rape, destruction of evidence, and common intention. Additionally, charges under the Information Technology Act were included. Dileep, who was listed as accused number eight, faced an additional charge of destroying evidence.

Dileep Case Verdict: Investigation and Trial Timeline

The investigation began shortly after the incident, with the first chargesheet filed in April 2017. Dileep was arrested in July 2017 following allegations that prime accused Pulsar Suni had sent him a letter from jail, and he was later granted bail in October 2017.

A supplementary chargesheet was filed later that year, and several accused were either discharged or turned approvers. In 2018, Dileep requested a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, citing alleged bias by the Kerala Police. The court rejected this plea, noting that an accused cannot choose the investigating agency.

Further investigations took place in 2021 after filmmaker Balachandra Kumar alleged that Dileep possessed visuals of the assault. Another case was filed concerning a conspiracy to harm investigation officers. In 2022, allegations of illegal access to the memory card containing evidence prompted a High Court-ordered fact-finding probe and new guidelines for handling sexually explicit material.

Trial Proceedings and Witnesses

The trial examined a total of 261 witnesses, including several prominent film industry figures, many of whom turned hostile. The investigation officer was cross-examined for 109 days, and the court admitted 834 documents into evidence. Only two defence witnesses were examined. Key witnesses, including former MLA PT Thomas and filmmaker Balachandra Kumar, passed away during the course of the trial.

Malayalam Actor Dileep's Net Worth

Beyond his film career, Dileep is also a successful entrepreneur. His estimated net worth is around Rs 600 crore, including a vast portfolio of real estate, business ventures such as hotels, theatres, a production house and earnings from films as per the Daily Guardian. This positions him among Kerala's wealthiest entertainment personalities, though exact figures may vary.

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