Court verdict in actress assault case draws all-round criticism

A district court in Ernakulam on Friday said the sensational nature of a criminal case could not influence the outcome while pronouncing punishment in the 2017 assault of a film actress, a remark that framed a judgment which has since triggered sharp reactions from prosecutors, political figures and women’s rights activists.

- HD Bureau

While delivering the quantum of punishment, the court sentenced the prime accused, Sunil Kumar, widely known as Pulsar Suni, and five other convicts to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on every convict, with additional imprisonment stipulated in the event of nonpayment. The case, which involved the abduction and sexual assault of the survivor inside a moving vehicle, had drawn national attention and sustained public scrutiny over several years.The most curious part of the verdict, which found actor Dileep not guilty, still remains a mystery as the reasoning put forth by the judge is not available, with the full text not available yet. Questions continue to be raised in different quarters as to how the court arrived at the actor's innocence.