Ernakulam Sessions Court finds six accused guilty in 2017 actress assault case

In the sessions court, the six accused, Pulsar Suni, Marting Antony, B Manikandan, VP Vijeesh, H Saleem, and C Pradeep, were found guilty of offences under Sections 120B, 340, 354, 366, 354B, and 376D of the Indian Penal Code. Upon the pronouncement of the judgment, these accused were taken to the Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur.

Sunil NS, widely known as Pulsar Suni, alleged to have orchestrated the abduction and assault, is the first accused. The others facing trial alongside him and Dileep are Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh VP, Salim H, alias Vadival Salim, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, Sanilkumar alias Mesthiri Sanil, and G Sarath.

Earlier today, the court acquitted prominent Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 actress rape and abduction case. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on December 12. As per the judgment, Dileep has been found not guilty of the allegation that he orchestrated the assault.

Following the pronouncement of the judgment, Dileep said, "There was a conspiracy to defame me in society, to defame my career, my image and destroy my life."

He thanked his family, friends and his fans for supporting him in his bad times "Those who stood by me, my family and fans who stood by me and the lawyers who have stood by me over the past years I thank all of them," Dileep told reporters outside court.

Malayalam actor Dileep was accused of conspiring and hiring a gang to execute the crime. The case pertained to an actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films and was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017.

The charges invoked against the accused span a wide range of IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy (120A, 120B), abetment (109), wrongful confinement (342, 357), kidnapping (366), outraging modesty (354), attempt to disrobe (354B), gang rape (376D), criminal intimidation (506(i)), destruction of evidence (201), harbouring an offender (212), and common intention (34). The trial, which began on March 8, 2018, has been lengthy and complex.

A total of 261 witnesses were examined, many in camera, including several prominent film personalities, with 28 witnesses turning hostile. Over the years, two special prosecutors stepped down, and the survivor's request to replace the presiding judge was denied. The prosecution submitted 833 documents and 142 material objects, while the defence produced 221 documents. Witness examination alone spanned 438 days. (ANI)