Actress sexual assault: Survivor says not all citizens treated equally before law

Thiruvananthapuram, The survivor in the 2017 actress assault case on Sunday said the trial court verdict did not come as a surprise to her, noting that over the years she realised not every citizen in the country is treated equally before the law.

In an emotional but strongly worded social media post, she alleged that her fundamental rights were not protected during the trial. She also said the verdict underscored how human judgment can influence judicial decisions, though she acknowledged that not every court functions in the same way.

This marks the first time the survivor has publicly responded to the trial court verdict, which sentenced six people convicted in the sexual assault case to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, while acquitting Malayalam actor Dileep in the same case.

“After years of pain, tears, and emotional struggle, I have come to a painful realisation: not every citizen in this country is treated equally before the law,” she wrote on Instagram. However, she expressed relief that six of the accused had been convicted.

“After 8 years, 9 months, and 23 days, I finally saw a small ray of light at the end of a very long and painful journey. Six of the accused have been convicted, and for that, I am grateful,” she said.

The survivor also criticised those who had doubted her account, dedicating the moment to those who had called her pain a lie and the case fabricated. “I hope you are at peace with yourselves today,” she added.