Kerala government challenges Dileep's acquittal in actress assault case
The Kerala High Court has just sent notices to actor Dileep and others after the state government challenged their acquittal in the high-profile 2017 Malayalam actress assault case.
The government says the previous court order letting Dileep and a few others go was illegal, and is pushing for those acquitted to be convicted, and for tougher sentences for those already found guilty.
The crime shook the entire nation
Back in 2017, a Malayalam actress was abducted and assaulted inside a moving vehicle in Kochi by six men who gang-raped her and filmed the crime.
The six were convicted and sentenced (date not specified in the source) and given 20 years of rigorous jail time plus fines for gang rape, conspiracy, abduction and IT Act violations.
But Dileep — accused of conspiring to orchestrate the attack — was acquitted after the trial court found the prosecution had not established the conspiracy.
Now, with fresh notices out as of March 10, 2026, the state wants not just to reverse these acquittals but also wants that the convicts deserve life sentences instead of just 20 years due to how brutal the crime was and its impact on society.