Six men convicted in the 2017 Malayalam actor assault case were on Friday sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, with the trial court also imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them. The judge awarded identical punishment to all six, noting that the sentence represented the minimum penalty mandated under the law for the offence of gang rape.
Special Public Prosecutor Ajakumar expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating that he would urge the state government to appeal for a harsher sentence. According to him, awarding only the minimum punishment for such a grave crime “sends a wrong message”.
Before announcing the sentence, the court heard emotional pleas from the convicts. Pulsar Sunil, the first accused, sought leniency by referring to his elderly mother. Martin Antony, the second accused, and Pradeep, the sixth accused, broke down in court, asking for the minimum punishment on account of the hardships their families would face.
The court queried whether all six deserved identical punishment, given that only the first accused carried out the assault while the others assisted. The prosecution maintained that all six should receive the same and the maximum punishment permissible, arguing that they acted together in committing a brutal crime.
During the hearing, the judge emphasized that any public criticism or commentary on the verdict must be made only after reading the full judgment. The court also reflected on whether public sentiment should influence sentencing or whether it must remain anchored solely in legal principles.
Separately, contempt of court proceedings linked to the case are scheduled for a hearing on December 18.
Earlier, Malayalam actor Dileep — once accused of conspiring in the assault — was acquitted by the Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court on December 8 after the prosecution failed to establish the conspiracy and related charges. The case pertains to the February 17, 2017, incident in which a woman actor was abducted near Kochi and sexually assaulted inside a moving vehicle.
