‘Not every citizen is treated equally before the law,’ says 2017 assault survivor on Dileep’s acquittal

New Delhi: Eight years after a horrific assault, the survivor breaks her silence on Dileep’s acquittal. What did she reveal about losing faith in the courts?

Her emotional note exposes shocking details of a painful fight for justice. Dig in for more details about what the survivor has to say about the incident.

Survivor’s first statement

The survivor in the 2017 Malayalam actress assault case shared her first statement after the court’s verdict that acquitted actor Dileep and three others, while convicting six accused. She described waiting “8 years, 9 months, and 23 days” for justice at the end of a “painful journey”. She expressed gratitude, stating, “Six of the accused have been convicted, and for that I am grateful!” and dedicated the moment to those who called her assault a “made-up story”.

Doubts and false claims

The survivor clarified rumours, saying one accused was not her personal driver but “someone randomly assigned to her during film shoots.” She added, “Ironically, I met him only once or twice during that time, and never again, until this crime happened. Please stop spreading false stories”. She urged people to stop doubting her story after years of ordeal.

No surprise in verdict

The verdict did not shock her, as she noticed issues as early as 2020. “Even the prosecution noticed changes in the way the case was handled, especially when it came to one particular accused,” she claimed. She approached the High Court and Supreme Court multiple times due to a lack of trust but faced dismissal. “After years of pain, tears, and emotional struggle, I have come to a painful realisation: Not every citizen of this country is treated equally before the law,” she wrote.

Reasons for lost faith

She listed key issues: her fundamental rights were not protected, two public prosecutors resigned, and a memory card was tampered with. When she sought a fair trial, the accused petitioned to keep the same judge. She even wrote to the Prime Minister and President for help and requested open court proceedings for transparency, but was denied. She thanked supporters and dismissed ongoing online attacks.

Case background

On December 8, a Kochi court acquitted Dileep in the abduction and assault case from 2017. Dileep called it a “real conspiracy” and blamed his ex-wife Manju Warrier. The Kerala government plans to appeal. Manju Warrier stated, “justice for the survivor is still incomplete” post-verdict.