The Kerala High Court will hear appeals filed by Martin Antony and two other convicts challenging their conviction in the actress abduction and sexual assault case on February 4, 2026. The convicts were sentenced to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment by a trial court, and Antony has sought acquittal and suspension of sentence pending appeal.
The Kerala High Court on Monday indicated that it will hear the appeals filed by Martin Antony and two other convicts who have challenged their conviction and sentence in the actress abduction and sexual assault case. The appeals have been listed for hearing on February 4, 2026.
Martin Antony is the latest among the convicts to approach the High Court. When his appeal came up for consideration, Justice A Badharudeen directed that his appeal be posted on February 4, 2026, along with connected appeals filed by two other convicts in the same case.
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The other two appellants are Saleem alias Vadiwal Salim and Pradeep, who have also challenged their conviction before the High Court.
All three were among the six persons convicted by the Principal Sessions Court, Ernakulam, for abducting and sexually assaulting a prominent actress in 2017. The crime involved kidnapping the actress in a moving vehicle, sexually assaulting her, and recording visuals of the act.
In December 2025, the trial court sentenced the convicts to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment along with fines for the various offences they were found guilty of.
According to the prosecution, Martin Antony was accused of driving the vehicle that was used during the commission of the crime. However, in his appeal filed last month, Antony has denied the allegations made against him.
He has claimed that he was not present inside the vehicle at the time when the sexual assault took place and that the only allegation against him relates to an alleged conspiracy.
Antony has argued that the prosecution itself has not alleged that he physically participated in the sexual assault. On this basis, he has contended that he should be treated in the same manner as other similarly placed accused persons.
He has further claimed that he deserves to be acquitted in the same way as actor Dileep, who was earlier accused of being the mastermind behind the crime but was ultimately acquitted by the trial court of the conspiracy charges.
In support of this argument, Antony’s appeal states:
“The allegation levelled against (Martin Antony) is his participation in a conspiracy. At this juncture it is also equally pertinent to mention herein that the allegation levelled against the Accused No.8 (Dileep) was also his participation in a conspiracy with Accused No.1. When two accused persons involved in a crime are identically situated, the Ld. Trial Court require to give an identical treatment in appreciation of evidence for convicting / acquitting them,”
The appeal also points out that Antony has no criminal antecedents. It notes that he had spent more than five years in jail as an undertrial prisoner before he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in March 2022.
Terming the punishment imposed on him as harsh and excessive, Antony has sought complete acquittal in the case. Along with the appeal, he has also filed an application seeking suspension of his sentence and release on bail until the High Court finally decides his appeal.
The appeal has been filed through advocates Alex Joseph and Nisha K Peter.
Case Title:
Martin Antony v State of Kerala
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