Actress assault case: Malayalam star Dileep claims 'real' conspiracy to make him an accused
Kochi (PTI): Malayalam actor Dileep on Monday accused some police officials and a section of media of hatching a "conspiring against him" to implicate him in a case relating to the sexual assault of a south Indian actress here in 2017 with an aim to destroy his career.
Shortly after he was acquitted in the case, Dileep alleged there was a "real conspiracy" to make him an accused in the case.
"It was done to destroy my career, image, and life in society," he told reporters soon after a local court acquitted him after a years-long legal battle.
Criticising his ex-wife and leading actress Manju Warrier, the 'Meeshamadhavan' actor said the entire conspiracy against him began with her statement that there was a criminal conspiracy behind the assault of the survivor and that should be probed.
ALSO READ: Kerala court acquits actor Dileep in 2017 actress assault case, six found guilty
Without naming anyone, he alleged a top woman police officer and a group of "criminal police" chosen by her to probe the case had acted against him.
Dileep accused them of fabricating a false story against him with the support of the prime accused in the case and his co-inmate in the jail. Those police personnel and a section of media had propagated the false story against him through social media platforms, he further claimed.
"Today, that false narrative, fabricated by the police was shattered in the court," the actor-producer added.
He thanked his family, lawyers, and fans who supported him throughout these years of legal battle.
The Ernakulam Principal Sessions on Monday acquitted Dileep in the sensational case.
The court, however, found six others, including prime accused Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, who directly committed the crime, guilty.
Apart from Dileep, the court acquitted three others in the case.
The verdict was pronounced by Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, who had concluded the hearing in the lengthy trial on November 25.
The assault on the multi-lingual actress after the miscreants forced their way into the car she was travelling in and kept it under their control for two hours, had shaken the conscience of the Kerala society.
According to the prosecution, several persons forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017 and later escaped in a busy area.
The ten accused who faced trial are Sunil, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, actor Dileep (real name P Gopalakrishnan), Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil, and Sharath.
Police arrested the accused soon after the incident and filed the first charge sheet against seven persons in April 2017.
During further investigation, Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017 after the probe team found that the prime accused, Sunil, had allegedly sent a letter to him from jail.
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In a first, Meitei MLA visits Kuki relief camp in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): In a first since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in 2023, a Meitei MLA on Monday visited a relief camp set up for the Kuki community in Ukhrul district.
BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who represents the Singjamei constituency in Imphal West, visited a camp at Litan Sareikhong and interacted with Kuki inmates who fled their homes during the violence.
"With Christmas approaching, we all should pray for the return of peace in the state," he told the inmates.
"There are conflicts almost everywhere in the world. But we should learn to live in harmony despite the existing differences. There should not be any hindrance in visiting each other's villages," he added.
Singh said this conflict should not be allowed to affect the future of children.
"We, the elders, both in the Hills and the Valley, may have differences, but we should think about our children's future," he said.
State BJP vice president H Shimray, who belongs to the Naga community, said Singh's visit is part of efforts to restore peace in the state and bring back the "previous love that existed between communities".
"We have been talking with Yumnam on how to start an interaction. He said there had to be a beginning," Shimray added.
Speaking to reporters, an inmate of the camp urged the government to allow them to return to their homes.
Over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which have deeply divided the state on ethnic lines.
The state has been under the President's Rule since February, after BJP leader N Biren Singh resigned amid criticisms over his government's handling of the crisis.
