Kerala actress gang rape case: Court sentences Pulsar Suni, five others to 20 years rigorous imprisonment

Malayalam actor Dileep leaves the Ernakulam district court following his acquittal in the 2017 sexual assault case involving a south Indian actress, in Kochi, Kerala, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. The court found six others, including prime accused Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, who directly committed the crime, guilty. (PTI Photo)

Pulsar Suni, prime accused in the 2017 actress gang rape case, and five other accused, were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment on Friday, as per a Bar and Bench report.

As per the report, the persons convicted were Sunil NS aka Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijeesh VP, Salim H aka Vadival Salim and Pradeep.

The report stated that the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court judge Honey M Varghese pronounced the judgment. The Court had on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor and the 8th accused, Dileep, in the 2017 case, while convicting six others.

2017 actress assault case

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.

Dileep, who was accused of conspiring and hiring a gang to execute the crime, was found not guilty of the allegation that he orchestrated the assault.

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.

(With agency inputs)