A leading Malayalam actress, known for over 80 films and prestigious awards, was abducted while traveling from Thrissur to Kochi for dubbing work. Six men, led by Sunil NS (alias Pulsar Suni), intercepted her car, drove her to an isolated spot in Angamaly, sexually assaulted her, filmed the act for blackmail, and abandoned her. She lodged a complaint the next day.
Police arrested Suni on February 23, recovering a memory card with visuals. Actor Dileep (Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan Pillai), was named the eighth accused.
The trial in Ernakulam faced twists: 28 witnesses turned hostile, two prosecutors quit, and Dileep’s bids for memory card access were denied by lower courts, Kerala High Court, and Supreme Court to protect the survivor’s dignity. In 2022, she alleged bias and sought trial transfer (dismissed); a fresh case accused Dileep of plotting to murder investigators. Suni got bail in September 2024 after seven years.
On December 8, 2025, Judge Honey M Varghese acquitted Dileep and three others, convicting the first six of gang rape (IPC 376D), conspiracy (120B), abduction (366), and related charges. Sentencing is set for December 12. Kerala plans to appeal, with Law Minister P Rajeev noting incomplete justice. Dileep called himself the “real victim” of a career-destroying plot.
