Actor abduction and rape case: Special public prosecutor says ruling is disappointing and sends wrong message
KOCHI: Declaring that the trial courts verdict in the actor abduction and assault case represents not just a setback but a failure to treat a grave crime with the seriousness it warranted, the prosecution and the survivors counsel said the judgment amounted to a stark denial of justice. Minutes after the court sentenced all six accused, including the prime accused, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, special public prosecutor V Ajakumar described the ruling as deeply disappointing and one that sends a wrong message to society. He noted that the punishment awarded for gang rape was only the statutory minimum. We will urge the government to file an appeal. The judgment delivered today is not a matter of the courts generosity. This is our right, Ajakumar said. He added that the prosecution had endured over three and a half years of intense courtroom battle, hoping for a judgment that reflected the brutality of the crime. All those hardships will be placed before the appropriate authorities. We remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail, he said, adding that a detailed study of the full judgment was necessary before further comments. The survivors counsel, T B Mini, echoed the disappointment, stating that the survivor has not received justice in any form. She criticised the court for considering the age, circumstances, and family backgrounds of the accused while failing to account for the survivors trauma. Actor abduction and rape case: Minimum punishment for maximum crime Court invokes legal maxim The court declined to address the prosecutions allegations that actor Dileep attempted to influence the judges who handled the case at various stages, particularly the trial court judge. Dileeps counsel argued that the prosecution and the investigating team made every effort to malign the judicial system, especially targeting the trial judge personally. The judge stated that all such matters were left unattended, invoking the legal maxim Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum (Let justice be done though the heavens fall). Actor abduction and rape case: Relieved defence side expresses plans to seek further reduction in sentence
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