The Kerala High Court on Thursday, 30 July issued a sharp warning to the state government for failing to comply with its directive to expedite the investigation into criminal cases stemming from the alleged media trial of actor Dileep in the high-profile 2017 actress assault case. The court's patience, already stretched by repeated non-compliance, appears to have reached a critical threshold.

What the Court Said

Justice Jobin Sebastian orally observed that the court's directions had gone unimplemented despite multiple opportunities. 'Why are you not complying with the directions of this court? Matter will be viewed very seriously... This is not fine,' the judge remarked after the Public Prosecutor sought additional time to obtain instructions from the investigating agency. The matter has been posted to 5 August for further consideration.

Background of the Probe

The court was hearing a petition filed by Dileep seeking a speedy investigation into FIRs registered on the basis of his complaint. Dileep has alleged that confidential details of the trial in the actress assault case were illegally leaked and widely publicised, resulting in a sustained media trial against him. On 20 February, the High Court had directed the state to complete the investigation within two months. When that deadline lapsed without compliance, the court last month orally warned that contempt proceedings could be initiated against officials. Despite that warning, the probe remains incomplete — prompting Thursday's pointed observations.

Dileep's Legal Standing and the Acquittal

Dileep was arraigned as the eighth accused and allegedly the mastermind behind the 2017 assault on a woman actor. He was, however, acquitted by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court last year. The state government has challenged that acquittal before a Division Bench of the High Court, which is simultaneously hearing appeals by convicted accused challenging their conviction and sentence. The Division Bench has called for trial court records and, earlier this month, rejected sentence suspension pleas filed by prime accused Pulsar Suni and co-convicts Vadival Saleem and Pradeep.

Thursday's Proceedings in Context

Notably, Thursday's hearing relates exclusively to Dileep's complaint over the alleged leakage of confidential trial proceedings and the resulting media coverage — a separate strand of litigation from the main assault case appeals. This is the third escalation in judicial tone on this specific issue, moving from directions to contempt warnings to Thursday's unusually direct rebuke. The court's latest observations signal growing judicial impatience and raise the prospect of formal contempt action if the state fails to act before the 5 August hearing.