NEW DELHI: A Kerala court on Friday sentenced six people in the 2017 actress sexual assault case to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the offence of gang rape.This comes days after the court acquitted Malayalam cinema star Dileep in the case.Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court Judge Honey M Varghese sentenced Sunil NS (also known as Pulsar Suni), Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh VP, Salim H, and Pradeep to 20 years’ RI for gang rape.The court also ordered imprisonment for other offences, which will run concurrently.It directed that the victim be paid a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. The pen drive containing the sexual assault visuals will remain in the custody of the investigating officer.On December 8, the court acquitted four accused, including actor Dileep.The convicted individuals were found guilty under the then IPC sections, including gang rape, abduction and criminal conspiracy.Prime accused Pulsar Suni sexually assaulted the actress and video-recorded the act with the help of the other convicted persons inside a moving car.The assault on the multilingual actress — after the accused allegedly forced their way into her car and held it under their control for two hours on February 17, 2017 — had shocked Kerala.Actor Dileep, accused of conspiring in the crime, was arrested during the investigation.However, after a nearly six-year trial, the court found him not guilty.
