Actor Sexual Assault Case | Kerala High Court Denies Bail To Prime Accused Pulsar Suni

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to grant regular bail to Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the sensational 2017 sexual assault case where a prominent actress was abducted and raped in a moving vehicle pursuant to a conspiracy. 

Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan rejected the application noting that bail cannot be granted at this stage. 

"After hearing both sides, I think this is not a fit case in which the petitioner can be released on bail, at this stage. This Court considered this matter in detail in the earlier bail application filed by the petitioner. The trial court also considered this matter in detail in the bail order produced as Annexure-6. There is no change of circumstances. The Public Prosecutor submitted that the trial is in the fag end. Moreover, it is also submitted that a further investigation is also going on."

While Suni is the first accused in the case, Malayalam actor Dileep is a co-accused in the case and is believed to be the brain behind the conspiracy. There are 10 accused in the 2017 case and police have arrested seven. Dileep was arrested subsequently but released on bail soon after. 

The petitioner had made shocking disclosures in the case which according to him, has put his life at stake. Soon after his arrest, Suni had suggested that bigwigs from the Malayalam film industry were involved in the crime and were yet to be caught. Thereafter he had refused to apply for bail citing that he was scared for his life. 

However, the application filed through Advocate V.V Pratheeksh Kurup submitted that the petitioner has been in jail for the last 5 years and 1 month and yet the trial was not yet concluded. He also suggested that there are security threats to his life inside the prison which prompted him to apply for bail. 

"If there is any such threat, jail authorities will do the needful. That is not a ground to release the petitioner on bail. Similarly, in a serious case like this, in which there are specific allegations against the petitioner, it is not appropriate to release the petitioner on bail. It will convey a wrong signal to the society."

Senior Public Prosecutor Deepa Narayanan seriously opposed the bail application submitting that the main witnesses were already examined and the trial is in the fag end. She further contended that a strong prima facie case is made out against the petitioner in the trial and therefore, this Court may not entertain the bail application at this stage.

As such, the application was dismissed. 

Case Title: Sunil N.S v. State of Kerala

Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Ker) 153

Click Here To Read/Download The Order