The Dileep Verdict: A Victory for Due Process or a Failure of Justice?
Long before the 11:00 AM judgment by the Principal Sessions Court, Ernakulam on December 8, 2025, my home was already divided. While awaiting the verdict in the 2017 Kerala actor abduction and assault case, there was absolute consensus on one fact: that the immediate perpetrators—Accused Nos. 1 to 7—deserved to be convicted. The conflict arose solely over the question of the conspiracy alleged to have been hatched by the prominent actor. The division in my home—and indeed, across the state—rested entirely on that invisible thread: the conspiracy. While the court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove this, resulting in the acquittal of Accused No. 8 and others, the story did not end there. The defining moment occurred when the actor stepped out of the court and alleged a counter-conspiracy: one he claimed was ignited by his former wife and activated by the police. This statement is the trigger for this article, as I wish to examine that profound accusation. Let us look at some stat...