6 PERPETRATORS GET 20-YEAR JAIL

A Kerala court on Friday sentenced Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the 2017 actress gang rape case, and five others to twenty years of rigorous imprisonment (RI).

- FPJ News Service

The order came from Ernakulam District and Sessions Court Judge Honey M Varghese, who had convicted the six men on December 8 while acquitting Malayalam actor Dileep.

The convicts Sunil NS alias Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh VP, Salim H alias Vadival Salim, and Pradeep were heard on the question of sentencing earlier in the day.

All six were ordered to "undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 20 years and also to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 each for the offence punishable under Section 376D (gang rape) of IPC and in default of payment of fine to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year," Bar & Bench reports.

Judge Varghese said the court found "no circumstance warranting the maximum punishment" but held that twenty years' imprisonment was appropriate after considering mitigating factors.