Kerala actor assault case: Survivor writes to CM asking for "justice"

The female south Indian actor, who was sexually assaulted in a moving car in February 2017 in Kerala, has broken her silence to write a letter to the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. In her letter to the CM, she has expressed her anguish over the resignation of two Special Public Prosecutors (SPP) in her case and the way the case is being dragged.

The actor has requested the CM to look into her case and appoint a capable special public prosecutor at the earliest, said media reports.

Last week, even as the prosecution approached the High Court against the orders of the lower court, the SPP, VN Anilkumar, quit after he protested against the biased attitude of the CBI special court judge Honey Verghese. Anilkumar is the second SPP, who was representing the survivor, to resign in the case. In November 2020, A Suresan, the SPP, had quit on the same grounds.

The incident, which sent shock waves across the country, happened in February 2017. It is alleged that the prime accused Pulsar Suni was paid by actor Dileep to kidnap and assault the actor. Malayalam actor Dileep, who was arrested in July 2017 in connection with the case and later released, is accused number eight in the case.

In her letter, the survivor told the CM that with the resignation of the two SPPs, the fate of her case is in jeopardy. She has also sent a copy of the letter to the Kerala Director General of Police (DGP).

Also read: Kerala actor assault: HC admits plea by prosecution against lower court order

Further, the survivor has told the CM that new allegations raised by a director Balachandra Kumar, who reportedly claimed to be Dileep’s friend, also needed to be examined. The survivor told the CM that she is seeking justice.

Kumar had recently levelled serious allegations against Dileep in the media claiming that  Dileep and Pulsar Suni knew each other well. According to Kumar, he had met Suni at Dileep’s house in December 2016.

He has also alleged that Dileep has a copy of the video of the sexual assault and that Dileep had watched the video with his friends in his house in November 2017. Moreover, Kumar has accused Dileep of trying to influence an important witness called Sagar Vincent.

Meanwhile, the Kerala police has petitioned Judge Honey Verghese for re-investigation in the case. The judge will hear the petition on January 4.