The Kerala High Court has refused to suspend the sentence of the prime accused in the 2017 actress assault case, citing the gravity of the offence, his criminal antecedents and his previous violation of bail conditions. The court's decision means the accused, Sunil, will remain in prison while his appeal against his conviction and sentence is pending. Sunil had approached the High Court seeking suspension of his sentence and release on bail during the hearing of his appeal challenging his conviction and the 20-year prison term imposed in the high-profile case.

However, the court declined to grant him relief after considering the nature of the crime and his conduct. In its order, the High Court observed that the seriousness of the offence weighed heavily against suspending the sentence. It also took note of Sunil's criminal history and the fact that he had allegedly violated bail conditions granted to him earlier, factors that the court said did not justify his release. The 2017 actress assault case is one of Kerala's most widely followed criminal cases.

It relates to the abduction and alleged sexual assault of a Malayalam film actor while she was travelling in a vehicle in February 2017. The incident triggered widespread outrage and led to a lengthy investigation and trial. Sunil, identified as the prime accused in the case, was convicted by the trial court and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment. He has since challenged the conviction before the Kerala High Court, seeking to overturn the verdict and sentence imposed against him.

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As part of the appeal proceedings, Sunil requested that the court suspend his sentence until the appeal is decided, arguing that he should be released on bail during the pendency of the case. The High Court, however, found no grounds to grant such relief at this stage. Courts may suspend a sentence pending appeal in certain circumstances, but such relief is generally granted after considering factors including the seriousness of the offence, the strength of the appeal, the likelihood of the convict absconding and overall public interest.

In this case, the High Court concluded that the circumstances did not warrant suspension of the sentence. The appeal against Sunil's conviction will continue to be heard by the High Court. Until a final decision is delivered on the appeal, he will remain in custody and continue serving the sentence imposed by the trial court. The latest order marks another significant development in the long-running case, which has drawn considerable public attention over the years and remains one of the most prominent criminal proceedings in Kerala's recent legal history.

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