Kerala HC reserves order on prime accused's bail plea in 2017 actress assault case
Feb 27, 2023
Kochi (Kerala) [India], February 27 : Kerala High Court on Monday reserved an order on a bail plea of Sunil NS, popularly known as Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the 2017 Actress Assault Case.
Single Bench of Justice PV Kunhikrishnan observed that "the prima facie evidence of the victim, how brutal."
He also observed that "There are several decisions which state that the gravity of the offence would also have to be considered in such offences, and that simply because an accused has remained in jail for so many years, cannot be a ground for release."
Offences under Sections 120 (B), 109, 342, 366, 354, 354B, 357, 376D, 201, and 212 read with Section 34 of the IPC and Sections 66 A and 66 E were of the IT act were charged against Suni, who is in jail for the past 6 years.
He had earlier approached the High Court for bail in March 2022. The same bench had on March 29, 2022, rejected the plea. When he approached the Supreme Court against this, it also rejected the same and directed him to approach the High Court if the trial has not concluded in a reasonable time.
In the fresh plea, Sunil contended that "There is absolutely no chance of the trial being concluded in the near future. The applicant has not moved any other court seeking the same relief and shall not move a similar application during the pendency of this application. The petitioner is not in a position to defend his case properly by consulting and discussing with his lawyer, since he is not on bail and is not being produced in court every day. The basic right of the applicant to defend his case properly itself is defeated."
The case pertains that, the actress who worked in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films, was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. Dileep who is a famous Malayalam actor and producer is the eighth accused in this case. There are a total of 10 accused in the case.
