In a significant development following the high-profile 2017 actress assault case, the Ernakulam Chief Sessions Court has directed the return of actor Dileep's passport. This order comes after the court accepted the actor's petition, seeking the return of the travel document that was held in judicial custody as a condition of his bail during the lengthy investigation and trial.
Court Cites Acquittal, Cancels Bail Bonds
The court, in its order on Thursday, stated that with Dileep being found not guilty in the case, the bail bonds stood automatically cancelled. The judge clarified that there was no legal requirement to retain the passport after the verdict of acquittal was issued. The passport had been surrendered by the actor as part of the strict bail conditions imposed after his arrest in the case, which had sent shockwaves across Kerala and the Indian film industry.
Defense Argument and Government Opposition
Dileep's legal team had urgently requested the return of the passport, arguing that the actor needed to travel overseas for promotional work related to his new film. His lawyers emphasized that there was no legal basis for the court to continue holding the document after his release from the case. They also pointed out that during the investigation, Dileep had been granted permission to travel abroad on several occasions, and he had faithfully returned his passport to the court after each trip.
However, the state government strongly opposed the move. The government attorney argued that since the prosecution was likely to file an appeal against the acquittal verdict, it was not appropriate to return the passport at this juncture. The court, upon reconsideration, ruled in favour of the actor, leading to the passport's release.
Survivor Actress Files New Police Complaint Over Cyberattacks
In a parallel and troubling twist to the ongoing saga, the survivor actress has filed a fresh police complaint with the Ernakulam police. She has alleged that she has been subjected to a series of vicious cyberattacks and online harassment targeting her since the verdict was announced.
The complaint includes 16 web links containing defamatory and insulting content circulated on social media platforms. It also references a video allegedly released by the second accused in the case, Pulsar Suni's associate named Martin. Taking the complaint seriously, the police have registered a case under serious, non-bailable sections of the law and have intensified their investigation into the matter.
Reports indicate that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has taken note of the situation and has ordered the police to take swift and strict action against those responsible for the cyberattacks.
The legal proceedings and their aftermath continue to unfold, keeping the spotlight on one of Kerala's most closely watched judicial cases in recent years.
