Kochi Dec 9 (IANS) In a deeply emotional and powerful outpouring following the verdict in the 2017 actress abduction and assault case, veteran dubbing artiste Bhagyalakshmi on Tuesday said that through the long and painful legal battle, it was only the media and society at large that truly stood by the survivor.

Actor Dileep, who was the eighth accused in the charge sheet, was acquitted by the trial court on Monday.

Bhagyalakshmi said the public receptions and celebratory words organised in favour of the accused after the verdict shattered the survivor emotionally.

“What we have now is not the final verdict. There are still higher courts. Dileep is still only an accused,” she said, underscoring that the legal fight is far from over.

Describing the accused as powerful, wealthy and deeply influential, she said the imbalance of power has been stark from the beginning.

In protest against the move to reinstate Dileep into film organisations, Bhagyalakshmi announced her resignation from the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), stating that she had nothing more left to do within such a system.

“I went forward with hope, believing one should not break down. But I am devastated even now,” she said.

Recalling the night of the verdict, Bhagyalakshmi said neither she nor the survivor could sleep.

“We lay awake thinking about what to do next,” she said, adding that the film industry’s response felt like the return of a long-lost relative.

“I only want to call him what he still legally is, an accused,” she said firmly.

Launching a sharp attack on the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), she questioned how an organisation could claim to stand with both justice and injustice at the same time.

She revealed that no meeting was convened for the survivor, but an emergency meeting was quickly called after the verdict.

“Not a single person from the organisation even called us to ask how she was,” Bhagyalakshmi said.

She alleged serious concerns in the handling of evidence, including changes in the memory card’s hash value and shifting loyalties.

“Today I understood that even if women are at the helm of AMMA, it makes no real difference,” she said, accusing the organisation of silently aligning with the accused.

Expressing fear for actress Manju Warrier, whose name resurfaced in the controversy, Bhagyalakshmi said she had warned her that the opponent was extremely powerful.

“Politicians, organisations, and influence all stand with him. No superstar stood with her,” she said.

Condemning film bodies for treating the trial court verdict as final, Bhagyalakshmi declared she would no longer be part of any organisation.

She also criticised FEFKA for not even speaking to the survivor.

Referring to director B. Unnikrishnan’s public statement that the accused would be readmitted into film bodies if he applied, Bhagyalakshmi said her resignation was both a moral and technical protest.

Breaking down, she revealed that she was beside the survivor when the verdict was delivered.

“I have watched her pain up close for all these years,” Bhagyalakshmi said with her voice trembling with grief, anger, and unwavering solidarity.

–IANS

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