Kerala Court Denies Suspension

The Kerala High Court has dismissed a plea for suspension of sentence by Martin Antony, the second accused in the 2017 actor assault case. The court cited prima facie evidence of his involvement in the crime and conspiracy.

Martin Antony was found to be in constant contact with N.S. Sunil, the first accused, and had sent a message right before the fake accident. The court held that this evidence proved Martin Antony aided the commission of the crime and participated in the conspiracy.

Six of the 10 accused were convicted by the Sessions Judge, Ernakulam, in 2025. Each accused was charged with two counts of gang rape, assault, use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe, wrongful confinement, destruction of evidence, and taking and distributing obscene images.

Martin Antony contended that the prosecution had not adequately proved the charges against him. However, the court disagreed, stating that the evidence showed his involvement in the crime. The Division Bench of Justice V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice K.V. Jayakumar had earlier denied the suspension of sentence pleas by N.S. Sunil, Saleem, and Pradeep, the first, fifth and sixth accused respectively.

Martin Antony had undergone more than five years of imprisonment and had been serving his sentence since December 2025. The Kerala High Court dismissed the plea on August 06, 2026.

Context The Kerala High Court's decision is significant in the context of the 2017 actor assault case, which has been ongoing for several years. The case has drawn attention to the issue of violence against women and the need for justice to be served.