20-yr RI for 6 in Kerala actress gang rape case

A Kerala court on Friday awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) to the six people convicted in the 2017 actress abduction and gang rape case that made national headlines, sent shock waves through the Malayalam film industry and prompted far-reaching shifts in state movie bodies.

- Vishnu Varma

On December 8, Ernakulam principal sessions judge Honey M Varghese had acquitted actor Dileep on the charge of conspiracy in the case while finding six accused —Sunil NS, aka ‘Pulsar’ Suni, Martin Antony, B Manikandan, VP Vijeesh, H Salim and Pradeep — guilty of charges including gang rape, kidnapping, intent to outrage a woman’s modesty, and conspiracy. The verdict brought to conclusion a trial that ebbed and flowed over seven years, and precipitated landmark’ changes in the film industry.

‘Awarding the sentence, the court observed that there was no circumstance warranting maximum punishment for the convicts. “Al to A6 are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 20 years and also to pay a fine of ₹50,000 each for the offence punishable under section 376D (gangrape) of IPC and in default of payment of fine to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year for the offence under section 376D,” it said.

For the first accused, Suni, the sessions court awarded imprisonment for a period of three years anda fine of ₹1 lakh for the offence under section 66E of the IT Act, 2000. He was also given five years

‘Pulsar’ Suni