'I’m relieved and hope for the harshest punishment for the accused:' Lal reacts to actress assault verdict

Actor Lal, who arrived to cast his vote in the local body elections in Kochi, reacted to the verdict in the actress assault case. Expressing satisfaction with the outcome, he said he was pleased that six of the accused were convicted. "Had I encountered the accused at the time of the incident, I would have taken immediate action against them," he said. "I prayed they would receive the maximum punishment. While we had to wait for the judgment, I now feel a sense of relief after hearing the verdict."

He said he is personally happy to have contributed to the case. “When the child (survivor) came to my house, I was the one who contacted the then DGP Behera. Former MLA P T Thomas came into the picture only after that. Thomas sir requested that the driver be taken to the hospital because he seemed unwell, I was the one who intervened and said that his behaviour seemed off. Eventually, he was taken to the hospital but he soon came under police investigation, thereby, opening up the case,” he said.

Regarding the conspiracy cited by the prosecution, the actor said, “It was only revealed later that there was a conspiracy. But I am not the right person to comment on that. During the court proceedings, both my family and I made sure to tell the truth, without changing any details. There may be misunderstandings along the way, and sometimes it’s hard to know what is right, but I’ve shared everything that could help. If this case reaches the Supreme Court, I will share what I know,” he concluded.