Hours before the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court pronounced punishment in the 2017 actress abduction and sexual assault case, the six convicted men made emotional last-minute pleas, citing family responsibilities, ill parents and claims of innocence while seeking leniency from the court.
Judge Honey M Varghese asked each convict whether they wished to say anything before sentencing, a moment that turned intensely personal in a case that has gripped Kerala and the Malayalam film industry for nearly eight years.
Family pleas and claims of innocence
Sunil Kumar, popularly known as Pulsar Suni and identified as the prime accused, told the court that he had “only an elderly mother at home” and urged the judge to consider his family circumstances while deciding the sentence.
Martin Antony, the second accused, broke down while addressing the court and maintained that he had been wrongfully convicted. “I have been in prison for five and a half years for a crime I did not commit. I have never had even a petty case before this. I am innocent,” he said, adding that his ailing parents depended entirely on him. He pleaded for acquittal rather than punishment.
Manikandan B, the third accused, highlighted his role as the sole breadwinner for his family. “I have a wife, a nine-year-old son and a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. I am the only support they have,” he said, also stressing that he had no prior criminal record.
Requests for compassion
Vijesh VP, the fourth accused, sought a reduced sentence and also requested that he be transferred to Kannur Jail. Salim H, the fifth accused, reiterated his claim of innocence, while the sixth accused, Pradeep, did not make a detailed submission but appealed to the court’s compassion.
Judge Varghese listened to all the pleas before proceeding with sentencing, noting that personal circumstances had been placed on record.
Case background
The court had, on December 8, convicted the six accused in the high-profile case, while acquitting actor Dileep and three others. The verdict marked a significant moment in a trial that involved years of hearings, extensive witness testimony and forensic evidence, and which deeply impacted public discourse in Kerala.
The sentencing brought a crucial phase of the long-running legal battle to a close, reaffirming the judiciary’s role in balancing the gravity of crimes with principles of law and due process.