Actress Assault Case: Timeline of the Trial

Thiruvananthapuram: Kochi trial court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on the actress attack case on Monday. The trial has reached its final laps after eight years of legal battle, twists and turns. The case which has gained wide public attention brought intense media scrutiny and triggered large scale public reaction and debate in Kerala about sexual exploitation in film industry, protection of women, and support for survivors. It also exposed structural issues in the film industry — power dynamics, fear of reprisal, complicity.

The case and the events that followed created a domino effect throughout the film industry, resulting in the formation of organizations like Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and the appointment of Hema Committee, the findings of which further opened door to the real issues faced by the women in Cinema.

Here is a detailed timeline to the case that changed the landscape of Malyalam film industry :-

February 17, 2017:

The attack occurred- a leading Malayalam actress was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted inside a moving vehicle en route to a filming location in Kochi. The assault was reportedly filmed by the perpetrators.

February 18,  2017:

The actress filed a complaint with police — triggering the criminal investigation. It became clear that Sunilkumar from Perumbavoor Kodanad, a driver working in the film industry (known as Pulsar Suni), had led the crime. Following this, the police began searching for him. The police also located the two vehicles used by the perpetrators. To investigate the case, a special investigation team (SIT) was formed under the leadership of Northern Range Crime Branch IG, Dinesh Kashyap.

February 19, 2017:

Vadival Salim from Alappuzha and Pradeep from Kannur were taken into police custody in Coimbatore. In Kochi, film industry workers held a gathering to show solidarity with the actress.

February 20, 2017:

The accused, including Kochi resident Thammanam Swadeshi Manikandan, were taken into police custody in Palakkad.

February 23, 2017:

Police forcibly arrested Sunilkumar (Pulsar Suni) and Vijesh from courtroom while trying to surrender at the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.

March 3, 2017:

Police informed the court that further investigation was needed to uncover the conspiracy.

April 18, 2017:

A charge sheet was filed in the Angamaly Magistrate Court naming Sunilkumar as the first accused. A total of seven accused were included in the charge sheet.

June 25, 2017:

Vishnu and Sanal, accomplices of Pulsar Suni who attempted to blackmail Dileep, were arrested by the police.

June 28, 2017:

Dileep and Nadirsh were summoned by Aluva Police Club and interrogated for 13 hours.

July 2, 2017:

Evidence surfaced that Pulsar Suni had arrived at the shooting location of “Georgettan’s Pooram,” the last film featuring Dileep as the lead actor.

July 10, 2017:

Dileep was arrested

July 11, 2017:

Dileep, produced before the Angamaly First Class Judicial Magistrate, was remanded and sent to Aluva sub-jail.

July 20, 2017:

Pratheesh Chacko, the first lawyer of Sunilkumar, was arrested for destroying evidence.

August 2, 2017:

Pratheesh Chacko’s junior lawyer, Raju Joseph, was arrested.

August 15, 2017:

Dileep’s mother wrote to the Chief Minister requesting that the investigation officers be changed.

September 2, 2017:

Dileep was granted permission to attend his father’s funeral rites.

October 3, 2017:

Dileep was granted bail with strict conditions.

November 15, 2017:

Dileep was re-questioned after inconsistencies were found in his earlier statements given to police after his arrest.

November 21, 2017:

Dileep received High Court permission to travel abroad for business purposes.

November 22, 2017:

A supplementary chargesheet was filed naming Dileep as the eighth accused.

January 2018:

The attacked actress demanded that a female judge hear the case.

February 25, 2018:

The High Court appointed then-Special Sessions Judge Honey M. Varghese to hear the trial.

January 30, 2020:

Trial commenced. Witness examination began. Pulsar Suni, Dileep, and other accused appeared in a closed court. The Special Public Prosecutor A. Surendran was present. During witness examination, 22 witnesses turned hostile.

November 20, 2020:

The actress petitioned to move the case to another court, alleging bias by the female judge; High Court rejected it. The initially appointed prosecutor withdrew from the case.

March 1, 2021:

Supreme Court ordered the trial be extended by six months.

July 2021:

Court requested another extension of the trial citing COVID‑19; Special Judge sent a letter to the Supreme Court noting that online trial was impractical.

December 17, 2021:

Dileep withdrew his anticipatory bail plea filed in the Supreme Court, which sought removal from the accused list.

December 2021:

Balachandrakumar appeared as a witness, stating that he saw Pulsar Suni at Dileep’s residence.

January 3, 2022:

Court allowed further investigation against Dileep; police recorded Balachandrakumar’s secret statement.

January 22, 2022:

Investigation progress report submitted to court.

February 2022:

Trial, which was to be completed by this month, was extended by three months.

July 18, 2022:

Advocate V. Ajakumar appointed as the third Special Public Prosecutor.

October 22, 2022:

Court accepted the further investigation report and added it to the chargesheet. Dileep’s friend Sharath was made an accused for destroying evidence.

March 24, 2023:

Trial court requested an additional three months from the Supreme Court to complete the trial.

August 2023:

Survivor highlighted that the memory card containing video evidence had altered hash values in the High Court.

August 21, 2023:

High Court ordered that the investigation into the changed hash values be conducted under the supervision of a district judge.

August 2023:

Trial court extended questioning for eight more months.

March 3, 2024:

Investigation report stated the memory card’s hash value changed three times. Survivor’s appeal to have an IG-ranked officer investigate was rejected by the High Court.

December 14, 2024:

Actress filed a mercy petition with the President of India.

April 5, 2025:

High Court Division Bench rejected Dileep’s plea for a CBI investigation.

November 25, 2025:

Trial completed and final verdict scheduled to be pronounced on December 8, 2025.