KOCHI: In a significant development in the high-profile case involving the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent South Indian actress in 2017, the Principal District Sessions Court in Kochi today sentenced prime accused Sunil N.S., alias ‘Pulsar Suni,’ and five co-accused to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
Principal District Sessions Judge Honey M. Varghese delivered the sentence, also imposing a fine of ₹50,000 on each of the six convicts. The court had previously found them guilty of the crimes, including gang-rape and criminal conspiracy, which shocked the film industry and the nation.
The other five individuals sentenced along with Pulsar Suni (A1) are Martin Antony (A2), B. Manikandan (A3), V.P. Vijeesh (A4), H. Saleem (Vadiwal Saleem) (A5), and Pradeep (A6).
While Pulsar Suni was initially awarded an additional three years in consideration of his extensive criminal background, the judge ruled that all sentences must run concurrently, effectively limiting his total time to 20 years.
The court further noted that Suni would be eligible for remission for the period already spent in custody as an under-trial prisoner, which amounts to roughly seven and a half years. This means he will have to serve approximately 12.5 years of his sentence going forward. The other convicts are also expected to receive similar remission for their remand period.
The conviction and sentencing of the six accused follow the recent acquittal of actor Dileep (A8), who had been charged with conspiracy in the case, along with two other co-accused. The trial was one of the most closely watched legal proceedings in the state, drawing widespread media attention and public scrutiny.
