Kerala actor rape case: When the court complex resembled the premises of a cinema hall

An impatient crowd, fan frenzy, and a sense of disapproval — the district court complex here resembled the premises of a cinema hall on Monday. The presence of a star, looking up to rise from the fall of a lifetime, made the scene all the more cinematic.

People had gathered on the court premises by 9 a.m. to hear what was in store for actor Dileep and his co-accused in the February 2017 actor assault case at the end of a trial that lasted nearly eight years. Some who had cases in other courts in the complex chose to stay back. Principal Sessions Judge Honey M. Varghese went inside by 10 a.m. as TV cameras and news photographers as well as the public waited anxiously for the arrival of Mr. Dileep. Someone in the crowd even found fun in making others run from one gate to the other by shouting ‘Dileep, Dileep’ every time a car appeared.

Mr. Dileep, like the rest of the accused, managed to get inside the court rather discreetly by 10.27 a.m. as the police struggled to control the crowd. All concerned, including prime accused N.S. Sunilkumar, aka Pulsar Suni, managed to get inside the court by 10.30 a.m. along with their lawyers. T.B. Mini, the lawyer representing the survivor in the case, shared confidence about getting all the accused convicted, as media personnel surrounded her.

Her optimism, however, was short-lived as the court acquitted Mr. Dileep, who had been charged with orchestrating the brutal attack. Mr. Dileep stepped out of the court by 11.20 a.m., flaunting the star power he once wielded on and off the screen. Clad in a white shirt and blue jeans, surrounded by a team of lawyers, he waved at his fans who had already gone into a frenzy. Speaking to the media, Mr. Dileep claimed to be the victim of a conspiracy and media trial. His fans echoed the sentiments outside the court gate.

“We were always sure that Dileep is innocent. Truth has prevailed,” said Shamna, who claimed that she came from Dubai to hear the verdict. “It has been proven that he was a victim of media trial,” said Riyas, State chairman, All Kerala Dileep Fans Association. Someone distributed laddoos in between.

The fans’ excitement, though, was not shared by many who felt let down by the court verdict.

A middle-aged marketing person, who preferred not to reveal his name, expressed disappointment. “Women are not safe when those on the other side are filthy rich,” he said. A woman lawyer said the verdict was on expected lines though she was convinced otherwise. Thomas, an autorickshaw driver from the city, said he expected Mr. Dileep to be convicted.