Dileep hints at legal action against investigating officers, accusing them of framing him and manipulating public opinion.
Film bodies face internal rifts, with moves to readmit Dileep prompting protests and resignations, reigniting debates on gender and accountability in the industry.
Activists are questioning the judge’s refusal to recuse despite her repeated requests for a replacement.
A day after getting acquitted in the actor abduction and rape case, actor Dileep has signalled that he would initiate legal action against police officers for what he alleges were attempts to falsely implicate him.
Though the verdict brought relief to Dileep, a section of the Malayalam film industry remains on edge. And now, the Kerala government has announced that it will appeal the acquittal of those accused of planning the 2017 actress assault case, setting the stage for the next phase of the prolonged legal battle.
The polarising verdict has even found supporters across party lines. Though several Congress leaders reiterated their support for the survivor, another section within the party criticised the government’s decision to pursue an appeal against Dileep and the others. Adding to the controversy, social media handles aligned with the BJP and Sangh Parivar organisations have been circulating posters openly endorsing Dileep.
Soon after his acquittal, Dileep lashed out at the police officers who investigated the case, calling them “criminals” who had colluded with certain media persons to damage his image and reputation. In an interview with The Hindu, he went a step further, alleging that members of the Special Investigation Team were driven by a desire for fame “at the cost of his life” and had even influenced the Chief Minister—who had initially stated that there was no conspiracy angle—to change his position later.
However, legal experts Outlook spoke to are sceptical about Dileep’s declared plan to pursue legal action against the investigators. Some argue it could be another Harish Vasudevan, advocate at the Kerala High Court, noted that if the State’s appeal is admitted by the High Court, any move to take action against the police officers is unlikely to hold.
Meanwhile, the verdict has triggered a visible split within the Congress. MP and UDF convenor Adoor Prakash sharply criticised the government’s decision to appeal the trial court judgment. “The government has nothing to do but make trouble. The appeal move is to target Dileep. The court has delivered judgment, and both the survivor and Dileep have got justice,” he said when asked for his response.
The KPCC leadership, however, distanced itself from his remarks, clarifying that Prakash’s views were personal and not reflective of the party’s position. Several senior Congress leaders and women leaders, expressing solidarity with the survivor, publicly backed the government’s decision to pursue an appeal. “Justice should prevail. After nine years of ordeal, if justice has not been served to the survivor, an appeal makes sense. Now the High Court has to decide whether the judgment ensured justice,” one leader said.
Former State Police Chief T. P. Senkumar—now openly aligned with Sangh Parivar groups—also echoed Dileep’s allegations against the investigators. He claimed the officers were guided not by evidence but by ulterior motives, reinforcing the narrative pushed by the actor and his supporters.
Since the survivor herself had approached both the High Court and the Supreme Court seeking a change of judge—citing the excruciating ordeal she faced during the trial—many activists are now directing criticism at the judicial process and the judge who delivered the verdict. WCC member and screenwriter Deedi Damodaran said justice has not been meaningfully delivered in a single sexual assault case in Kerala, adding that the outcome in this case was “not unexpected.” She noted that the judge ought to have recused herself once the survivor formally sought a replacement. “That was not done,” she said. “So the writing on the wall was clear.”
Meanwhile, the possibility of Dileep being reinstated in various film bodies has already sparked dissent within the Malayalam film industry. Award-winning dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi resigned from the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) after general secretary B. Unnikrishnan hinted that Dileep could be readmitted now that the court has cleared him. Similar moves are reportedly underway within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), which has welcomed the verdict but declined to issue a detailed response.
AMMA had expelled Dileep when he was arrested in 2017, but his alleged involvement—and the support he continued to receive from sections of its leadership—triggered widespread controversy and prompted several women actors to quit the organisation. Notably, AMMA is currently led by a woman president, Shwetha Menon, and general secretary, Cuckoo Parameswaran.
As the State prepares its appeal and the survivor’s demand for justice gains renewed urgency, Kerala finds itself grappling with deepening fissures—within politics, the film industry, and civil society. The verdict, far from closing a painful chapter, has instead reignited long-standing debates about gender, power, institutional accountability, and influence. With the High Court set to take up the next phase of the case, the battle over truth, justice, and public perception is likely to intensify, ensuring this case continues to shape conversations in Kerala for months to come.
