Actor arrested in abduction and assault case was released from prison on conditional bail in October
Gladwin Emmanuel (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 26, 2018)

The Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) has come out strongly against the decision of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) to reinstate Dileep. The actor was expelled from the association last year following his arrest in the abduction and rape case of an actress.

The collective, an organisation for women in Mollywood, on Monday condemned the ‘antiwomen’ stand of the association after reports suggested that in an AMMA meeting on Sunday in Kochi, Dileep’s reinstatement was discussed. The collective sought to know how the situation had changed since Dileep’s expulsion given that the trial in rape case in which Dileep has been charged is yet to conclude. By taking the actor back, the collective reasoned, the association was humiliating the actress who had survived the brutal attack. It argued that by its move the decision was challenging the law.

Reports quoting AMMA sources say that Dileep was expelled from the association without his explanation being heard, which was against the bylaw of the association.

He spent 85 days in prison after his arrest in the abduction and assault case on July 10. A day after his release in October, after he was granted conditional bail by the Kerala High Court, he was reinstated by The Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK). He was expelled from the post of president of the FEUOK last July.

Dileep’s Ramaleela released on September 28, 2017, ran to packed houses.