‘Dileep, accused of same charges was acquitted, should get the same benefit’; Martin files plea to quash sentence

KOCHI: Martin Antony, the second accused sentenced by the trial court in the actor assault case, has filed a plea in the Kerala High Court. He approached the high court seeking to quash his sentence in the case. Martin mentioned in his plea that he was not in the vehicle at the time the actress was attacked and that the only charge against him was that he was a part of the conspiracy. Dileep, the eighth suspect, accused of the same charges, was acquitted. Martin demanded in his plea that he too should get the same benefit.

The court had sentenced the first six accused in the case of attacking the actress and filming the visuals. Charlie, Dileep and his friend Sarath were acquitted in the case. The court said there was no evidence against Dileep for the conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

There were ten accused in the case including Dileep. Pulsar Suni is the first accused. Martin Antony, B Manikandan, V P Vijeesh, H Salim (Vadiwal Salim), Pradeep and Charlie Thomas are the second to seventh accused. Actor Dileep was the eighth accused and Sanil Kumar (Mesthiri Sanil) was the ninth accused.

Charges including rape, conspiracy, molestation, insulting femininity, using force, wrongful detention, destruction of evidence, taking and distributing obscene pictures were filed against them. Dileep's friend G Sarath, who was involved in the destruction of evidence, is the tenth accused. The actress was attacked in a moving car between Angamaly and Kalamassery on February 17, 2017.