Actress Assault: Supreme Court seeks Kerala's response to third bail plea by Pulsar Suni, stays costs

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the response of the Kerala government on the third bail plea filed by Sunil NS, also known as 'Pulsar' Suni, an accused in the 2017 Kerala actress assault case in which Malayalam cine actor Dileep is also an accused [Sunil NS v State of Kerala]..A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih issued notice to State of Kerala and also stayed the direction of the High Court to Suni to deposit ₹25,000 as costs."Issue notice ... In the meanwhile, the order imposing costs shall remain stayed", the top court ordered. The Court listed the matter for further consideration on August 27.Advocates K Parameshwar, Sriram Parakkat and Satheesh Mohanan appeared for Suni..The Bench was hearing the third bail plea before the apex court by Sunil NS.The Kerala High Court had on June 3 dismissed Suni's tenth bail application (overall), while ordering him to pay ₹25,000 as costs for filing "bail application after bail application" by engaging different lawyers.In his appeal before the top court against that order, Suni has stated that although he is not disputing the seriousness of the alleged crime, the criminal trial process should not become his punishment.Suni also highlighted that his family has been ostracised due to his implication in the case. His aged mother is also not keeping well, the plea said..Suni is among those accused of being part of a conspiracy to abduct and sexually assault a prominent film actress in 2017.The actress was abducted, driven around in a car, photographed, and sexually assaulted, allegedly at actor Dileep’s behest.Suni was arrested in February 2017 and arrayed as the first accused in the infamous case. He has remained in jail since then. Suni had first moved the Kerala High Court for bail in March 2022 which was rejected. He had then moved the Supreme Court for relief, which in July 2022 declined to grant him bail.However, the top court had said that if the trial is not concluded within a reasonable time, Suni may renew his bail application before the High Court.Subsequently, he approached the High Court again which rejected his bail plea on March 6, 2023. The High Court reasoned that the accused could not be released on bail given the gravity of the offence.This verdict was also challenged before the Supreme Court and in April last year, the top court denied Suni bail for the second time.He then filed a third round of bail plea. .[Read order]