Why Dileep blames Manju Warrier’s 2017 speech: The truth about her ‘criminal conspiracy’ remarks

Malayalam actor Dileep was acquitted on December 8, 2025, in the infamous 2017 abduction and sexual assault case. After the acquittal, he blamed actress and his ex-wife Manju Warrier for her statements back in 2017, where she extended support to the survivor.

The incident involved a leading actress who was assaulted inside a moving car while traveling from Thrissur to Ernakulam on February 17, 2017. Several names—including Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, and others—emerged as key accused, with Dileep himself later arrested, accused of masterminding the crime as an act of revenge.

The speech that sparked controversy

Two days after the assault, the Malayalam film industry gathered in Kochi to protest. Among the speakers was Dileep’s ex-wife, actress Manju Warrier, who subtly suggested that the attack might be part of a larger criminal conspiracy. Speaking as a close friend of the survivor, she said:

“I pray that no woman should ever have to face such an ordeal again… What has happened here is a criminal conspiracy. We can only offer our full support to bring those behind this crime to justice. A woman deserves the same respect from a man—inside the home and outside—as she gives him.”

Though she did not name anyone, her speech indirectly raised the possibility of bigger names being involved in the case.

Dileep’s alleged grudge and motive

On that same day, the victim filed her complaint.

Five months later, Dileep was arrested, accused of conspiring with Pulsar Suni, a known history-sheeter and the first accused in the case, to allegedly sexually assault the actress and record the act.

Warrier’s revelations on Dileep’s affair

In her statements, Manju Warrier also revealed that her divorce from Dileep in 2015 was due to his extramarital relationship with Kavya Madhavan. She said:

“I divorced Dileep in 2015 and the extramarital relationship between him and Kavya was the reason behind it… What I heard from the assaulted actor only reinforced what I already knew about the two.”

Her words offered context for the alleged motives behind the crime and became a key point in the investigation.

The prosecution claimed Dileep’s motive was revenge, alleging he held the victim responsible for exposing his extramarital affair with actress Kavya Madhavan, which had contributed to his divorce from Manju Warrier.

Dileep spent 85 days in Aluva jail before being released on bail. Pulsar Suni is among the six men who were ultimately convicted.

Dileep’s post-acquittal accusation

Minutes after the verdict, Dileep accused Manju Warrier of sparking the conspiracy against him. Speaking to reporters outside the Ernakulam district sessions court, he said:

“It was after Manju’s statement that there was a criminal conspiracy in the (actor’s sexual assault) case that a conspiracy began against me. It was done to destroy my career, image, and life in society.”

While six of the accused were convicted, Dileep was acquitted of all charges related to criminal conspiracy. Despite her intentions to support the victim, Manju Warrier’s 2017 speech has resurfaced as a controversial point, with Dileep positioning it as the catalyst for his wrongful implication.