Prosecution to demand three life terms for actor assault convicts in Kerala
KOCHI: The prosecution is set to seek three life terms for accused numbers one to six, who were convicted in the 2017 actor abduction case, with the Ernakulam Principal and Sessions Judge scheduled to conduct the sentencing hearing and pronounce the quantum of punishment on Friday. On December 8, the trial court found the first six accused, Sunil aka Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H aka Vadival Salim, and Pradeep guilty. The court acquitted actor Dileep, stating that the prosecution failed to establish the conspiracy charge against him. It also acquitted Charly Thomas, who had been charged with harbouring the offender; ninth accused Sanil Kumar alias Mesthiri Sanil, charged with conspiracy and aiding the crime; and 15th accused Sarath G Nair, charged with causing the disappearance of evidence. The prosecution will seek the maximum possible punishment for the accused, which is life imprisonment. The convicted accused could get life imprisonment for three major offences criminal conspiracy, gangrape, and abetment, Special Public Prosecutor V Ajakumar told TNIE. The court convicted them under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (outraging modesty), 354B (assault with intent to disrobe), 357, and 376D (gangrape) of the IPC, as well as sections 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act. According to the prosecution, on the night of February 17, 2017, six men abducted the actor while she was travelling from her home in Thrissur to Kochi. The men held her captive in her car and drove around Kochi, while Pulsar Suni, a history-sheeter, allegedly assaulted her. Suni recorded the act on his mobile phone. Later, the accused abandoned the actor near the house of film director Lal, who helped her contact the police. An FIR was registered the same day. Ajakumar said that he would cite the Supreme Court verdict in the case Nipun Saxena vs Union of India, as it accurately reflected the prevailing social reality. The 2018 judgment stated: Unfortunately, in our society, the victim of a sexual offence, especially a victim of rape, is treated worse than the perpetrator of the crime. In the State of Punjab vs Ramdev Singh case, the Supreme Court had observed that sexual violence, apart from being a dehumanising act, is an unlawful intrusion into the right of privacy and sanctity of a female. Ajakumar added that this argument is being put forward to ensure the maximum punishment for the convicts. When asked about filing an appeal before the Kerala High Court, Ajakumar said the prosecution is awaiting a copy of the final verdict, which will be released on Friday. Once the judgment is received, they will examine the reasons for acquittal and identify grounds for appeal. 2017 Kerala actor abduction case: Probe team pins hope on higher courts Verdict letter posted from Ernakulam The police have obtained information about the sender of the anonymous letter alleging a leak of details from the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case. According to the police, the letter, sent via Speed Post, was posted by a man from a post office under the jurisdiction of the Ernakulam police station. CCTV visuals show the man, wearing a mask, arriving at the post office at 1.42 pm on December 3. He had sent 33 Speed Post envelopes. The from address on the letter was given as Ramkumar.https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Dec/10/actor-abduction-and-sexual-assault-case-conspiracy-or-not-many-questions-need-answers Actor abduction and sexual assault case: Judgment comes after eight years, justice not yet Actor abduction and sexual assault case: Conspiracy or not, many questions need answers
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