2017 actress assault case: Kerala HC refuses to cancel Dileep's bail

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday refused to cancel the bail granted to Malayalam cine actor Dileep in the 2017 actress assault case.

The Court orders came on a plea moved by prosecution in 2022 challenging the order of the Additional Special Session Judge, Ernakulam dismissing the State's plea to cancel the bail granted to Dileep by the High Court in 2017.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sophy Thomas said: "Since the trial court has made some observations and findings, it may tend to appear that the learned judge has made up her mind as to the destruction of evidence, threatening the witness, etc. alleged by the prosecution.

"It is clarified that the trial court's observations and findings in the order are only for the purpose of disposal of Crl.MP 891/2022 and it shall not affect appreciation of evidence in SC 118/2018 (main case). The learned trial judge has to appreciate the evidence in SC 118/2018 independently and untrammeled by any of the observations and findings in Annexure E Order."

Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017, and granted bail on October 3, 2017 by the High Court.

The prosecution moved the High Court contending that Dileep failed to follow the bail conditions and that he and his associates were indulging in all sorts of activities, including destroying evidence and influencing prosecution witnesses.

A leading south Indian actress - who subsequently identified herself - had complained that she had been abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of goons in 2017 who filmed the act to blackmail her.

After the main accused Sunil was arrested and questioned, Dileep was accused of being the main conspirator in the case and arrested and was in jail for several weeks before walking out on a bail.