Overview
- On February 27, the Kerala government filed an appeal in the High Court seeking to overturn the acquittals of actor Dileep and three others in the 2017 case.
- The State also asked the court to enhance the punishment for six men already convicted and given 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment, the minimum under IPC Section 376D.
- The appeal argues the trial court failed to evaluate the evidence holistically and asserts a primary conspiracy between Dileep (A8) and Pulsar Suni (A1) dating back to 2013.
- Prosecutors challenge the trial judge’s adverse observations about the investigation, saying any defects did not cause prejudice and cannot justify acquittal.
- Separate petitions by some of the six convicts seeking suspension or reversal of their sentences are pending, setting up parallel proceedings in the High Court.