Aluva (Kerala), Dec 8 (NationPress) A significant crowd amassed outside the residence of Malayalam actor Dileep, known as ‘Padmasarovaram’, on Monday, welcoming him with enthusiasm just hours after he was acquitted in the 2017 actress abduction and sexual assault case.

Dileep arrived home around 1:15 p.m., but it took him several moments to navigate through the throngs of supporters who had gathered along the streets and within the property.

Emotional scenes unfolded inside the house as his daughter Mahalakshmi rushed to embrace him, followed by his wife Kavya Madhavan, sister, and other close family members and friends.

Outside, supporters celebrated by distributing laddoos amidst heightened security measures in the vicinity.

While the celebrations continued, the Kerala Government announced its intent to appeal the acquittal. Law Minister P. Rajeeve stated that the State has decided to contest the verdict, emphasizing, “We have always supported the victim, and therefore we will proceed with the appeal.”

Earlier that day, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court acquitted Dileep and three others, determining that the prosecution had not successfully established the charge of criminal conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt. The first six accused were convicted in the case, with all ten accused present in court during the judgment announcement.

As Dileep exited the courtroom, escorted by a large team of lawyers, he waved and smiled at his supporters. He launched a fierce critique of the investigation, claiming he had been framed.

“In court, the fabricated story of the police collapsed,” he remarked, adding, “The police collaborated with the primary accused and others to concoct a narrative that would ruin my future.”

He alleged that a conspiracy was orchestrated by his former wife, supported by a senior police officer and a segment of the media. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to his lawyer, Raman Pillai, and the entire legal team.

In a sharp political response, Sunny Joseph, President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, called the verdict “unsatisfactory,” asserting that the inability to prove the conspiracy reflected shortcomings in both the police investigation and the prosecution.

The case originated on February 17, 2017, when a notable Malayalam actress was abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle while en route to Kochi, a crime that shocked Kerala and ignited intense discussions on women’s safety and the abuse of power within the film industry.

The survivor has opted to remain silent at this time, while women’s rights organizations have voiced their disappointment, as the legal struggle seems to be entering a new chapter.