Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev on Friday said the prosecution cannot be termed a failure in the 2017 actress assault case, as those directly involved in the crime have been punished. He was reacting soon after the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court pronounced the quantum of sentence for the six convicted men.

The court sentenced all six — Sunil alias Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, and Pradeep — to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for gang rape (Section 376D) and criminal conspiracy (Section 120B). Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on each convict, with an additional year of imprisonment in case of default.

Rajeev said the investigation team had clearly established that a conspiracy took place and that the prosecution presented this position in court. “The crime was proved beyond doubt. Those who carried out the assault have been given adequate punishment. The court, however, concluded that the conspiracy charge could not be established. We can understand the reasoning only after examining the detailed order,” he said.

The minister added that any further steps by the government would be decided after the judgment is reviewed. He also defended the prosecution team, saying the charge-sheet was prepared based on the investigation’s findings and that special prosecutors were appointed in consultation with the survivor.

Commenting on online abuse targeting Judge Honey M Varghese, Rajeev said criticism of judicial orders is acceptable, but personal attacks on judges are not.

Meanwhile, Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian said the primary question now is whether the survivor has received justice. “We stand firmly with the survivor. Since the convicts did not receive the maximum sentence, we will examine the court order and decide on further action,” he said. He concurred with Minister Rajeev and said the prosecution had not failed. “Our concern is why the maximum punishment was not granted. We had expected it. The government will continue to take necessary steps, in consultation with the survivor, until full justice is ensured,” he added.

Pulsar Suni, the main perpetrator, received further punishment: three years’ rigorous imprisonment and a ₹1-lakh fine under Section 66E of the IT Act for recording the assault, and five years’ rigorous imprisonment with a ₹1-lakh fine under Section 67A for sharing the visuals.

Martin Antony was handed an additional three years’ rigorous imprisonment and a ₹25,000 fine under Section 201 of the IPC for destroying evidence. All six convicts were also awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a ₹25,000 fine each under Section 366 of the IPC for kidnapping. The period they have already spent in custody will be deducted from their sentences.

The Sessions Court had earlier acquitted actor Dileep, holding that the prosecution failed to prove conspiracy, destruction of evidence, or violations under the IT Act. His bail bond was cancelled, and he was set free. Three others — Charley Thomas, Sanil Kumar and Sarath G Nair — were also acquitted.

The survivor, a well-known multilingual actor, was abducted on February 17, 2017, held captive inside her vehicle for nearly two hours, and filmed as she was assaulted before the perpetrators fled.