Kerala actress molestation: Police arrest prime accused Pulsur Suni

www.mangaloretoday.com

Kochi, Feb 23, 2017:Dramatic scenes unfolded at the District Court Complex here on Thursday when Pulsar Suni alias Sunil Kumar, the key accused in the sexual assault of a prominent Malayalam actor, arrived before the ACJM court to surrender along with Vigeesh, another accused. The police forcibly picked him up from the accused box of the ACJM ( Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate) court, leading to protests by lawyers present there.

 

The arrest was made when the magistrate had gone for lunch and was not in his seat. Pulsar Suni and Vigeesh had reached the ACJM court in Ernakulam at 1.10 pm. With the magistrate’s chair empty, police grabbed the opportunity to catch hold of Suni who was in the accused box at the court room. He resisted, but it was in vain.

This led to an altercation between lawyers and the police. In the melee, Sunil fell down on the floor and the police dragged him to a van parked in front of the court and whisked him away.

"Pulsar Suni along with Vigeesh had come to surrender before the Magistrate, but when they came to the court hall, the police rushed to the accused box and took him to custody", an advocate who present at the court, said.

The police’s overreach inside the court irritated the advocates. "He may be a murderer or rapist, that’s not the point. For the court, he is just an accused until the verdict is pronounced. The police have no right to nab the accused from the court. Its against the law. We will protest against this move," said an advocate, passing this information to a higher official. According to the advocates, the duo reached the court covering their faces using a jacket.

Pulsar Suni and Vigeesh had been evading the police net for the past six days while four others were arrested earlier, including Martin, the driver of the actor.

Though the arrest will save the face of Kerala police, which was groping in the dark since the incident on February 17, questions are being asked whether this was an acceptable practice. "This is not acceptable. Arresting a person from the accused box of the courtroom is not done," Sunil’s counsel told the media.

The arrest was made on the sixth day after the noted south Indian actor was allegedly kidnapped by a seven- member gang.

Pulsar Suni and Vigeesh are now being questioned at the Police Club in Aluva, a satellite town close to Kochi city in Ernakulam district.