Actor Assault Case: Kerala HC Rejects Pulsar Suni's Plea to Suspend Sentence
The case relates to the abduction and sexual assault of a Malayalam actor in Kochi in February 2017, which drew widespread attention after Malayalam actor Dileep was named as an accused in the alleged conspiracy related to the assault
In a setback to Pulsar Suni in the 2017 actor assault case, the Kerala High Court has dismissed his plea seeking suspension of his sentence pending the disposal of his appeal.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice K.V. Vijayakumar held that there were no exceptional circumstances warranting suspension of the sentence. With the plea rejected, Suni will continue to serve his 20-year rigorous imprisonment while his appeal against the conviction remains pending before the High Court.
The case relates to the abduction and sexual assault of a Malayalam actor in Kochi in February 2017. The assault was allegedly filmed inside a moving vehicle, making it one of Kerala's most high-profile criminal cases. In January 2026, the trial court convicted Pulsar Suni and several co-accused and sentenced Suni to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The case also drew widespread attention after Malayalam actor Dileep was named as an accused in the alleged conspiracy related to the assault. However, the trial court acquitted him in January 2026, finding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The acquittal, however, has not ended public debate over his alleged role.
In his appeal, Suni argued that the mobile phone allegedly used to record the assault had never been recovered and that, in the absence of the device, the prosecution's claim that the visuals were recorded could not be sustained. He also contended that the SIM card allegedly used during the crime was registered in another person's name, yet that individual was neither made an accused nor questioned during the investigation.
Suni further submitted that the trial court had failed to accept his contention that the delay in collecting samples for DNA testing raised the possibility of evidence tampering.
The remaining convicts have also challenged their convictions before the High Court. Appeals filed by the fifth accused, Vadival Salim, and the sixth accused, Pradeep, are already pending before the court.