Congress MP's remarks on actress assault case verdict stirs row; Kerala CM Vijayan says Govt stands with survivor

Kannur (Kerala) [India], December 9 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the State government would continue to stand by the survivor in the 2017 Malayalam actor abduction and assault case, in which a local court a day ago had acquitted actor Dileep. 

Addressing a press conference in Kannur, Vijayan also remarked on the "strange" remarks made earlier today by Congress MP and convenor of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), Adoor Prakash, who said he believed that actor Dileep has "got justice."

"The prosecution handled the case very well. At every stage of the case, society at large and the legal community had expressed only positive opinions. The government's handling of the matter has sent a message that it would take a firm stand on such issues, " Chief Minister Vijayan said in the press meeting.
 Further, the chief minister said that details of the judgment would be studied, and after a legal analysis of the court's verdict, the government would take necessary steps, including an appeal. Vijayan said that the Kerala government has stood by the survivor till now and will continue to do so.

The Chief Minister also referred to Adoor Prakash's remarks earlier in the day, saying they reflected the attitude of the Congress-led UDF rather than the public's popular sentiment. 

Vijayan said that Prakash's statement "is as per UDF politics". "Society is always with the survivor, and the government has the same approach. The UDF convener has a strange stand on the issue. It is against the prevailing sentiments in our society,” Vijayan said.

The UDF convenor Prakash said that the Kerala goverment's decision to appeal the verdict in the 2017 actress abduction and assault case was because "it had no other job."

Speaking to ANI outside the polling station in Adoor in Pathanamthitta district, where the Congress leader cast his vote in the first phase of the local body elections today, Prakash said, "We are always with the survivor. My opinion is that she should get justice. At the same time, it is difficult to reject the stand of the court."

"Even while saying that we are all with the survivor, we must also recognise that everyone deserves justice and that Dileep has got justice. He is not only an artist for me. I have a personal relationship with him. He has got justice. The court has delivered justice for him,” the UDF convenor had said. 

Prakash futher said that actor Dileep's allegation against police officials should be investigated.

“The government will always go for an appeal because the government has no other job. It is a government that looks for opportunities to harm everyone, it will go to any extent to harrass someone...,” Prakash said.

Meanwhile, the Congress MP clarified his statement that his full statement was not reported, but only selective parts were highlighted, which led to "misunderstanding".

UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash MP said, "Not everything I said was reported. Only selective parts were highlighted, and that is what led to this misunderstanding among the public. What I clearly stated was that the survivor has not yet received justice. At the same time, when a judgment is delivered by a court of law, rejecting the court itself is difficult for me to endorse."

"That is why I said the survivor has not received justice and that all necessary efforts must continue to ensure justice for her. It is the government that must decide whether to proceed with an appeal. There is no need to twist my words to create a different narrative," Prakash added.

He emphasised that, from the first response, he has stood firmly with the survivor.

"What I said was accurate, conscious, and deliberate. I had already made it clear, right from my first response this morning, that we stand firmly with the survivor. Whether an appeal should be filed or not is not by Adoor Prakash or the UDF to decide. No one is preventing the government from filing an appeal. If they want to go ahead, let them," Prakash said.

"Some statements might naturally come out because of personal relationships, but that should not be misinterpreted or distorted. What I said beyond that was not reported at all," the Congress MP said.

Earlier, President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Sunny Joseph said that the Kerala government and the prosecution had failed in establishing the chargesheet of conspiracy. The conspiracy aspect couldn't be proved in front of the court, Joseph said.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George, responding to UDF convenor Prakash's statement on actor Dileep, said, "This leader and the party he is representing - it is quite evident that they have a policy against women, and it is not acceptable... This is also the policy and vision of the party... The government stands with the survivor girl continuously..." 

The Ernakulam Sessions Court had on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor and the 8th accused, Dileep, in the 2017 case. The case pertained to an actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films and was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017.

Dileep, who was accused of conspiring and hiring a gang to execute the crime, was found not guilty of the allegation that he orchestrated the assault. (ANI)