The Kerala High Court has kept in abeyance the order transferring Honey M. Varghese, the Special Judge, Ernakulam, to Kozhikode. The judge was trying the case relating to the sexual assault of woman actor.
The High Court had transferred the judge as Additional District Judge for the trial of cases relating to atrocities against Women and Children, Kozhikode, as part of the general transfer, when the trial in the case was midway through.
The trial proceedings in the case have already begun before the judge and examination of the victim and some of the witnesses has been completed.
The Special Court headed by the woman judge was constituted on a directive of the High Court for hearing the sexual assault case. The High Court order came on a petition filed by the victim.
In an order, P.G. Ajithkumar, Registrar (Subordinate Judiciary), said the Special Judge was allowed to continue in her present station until further orders. The court directed other officers who were transferred as part of the general transfer to join their new stations on July 1 without fail.
Actor Dileep, eighth accused in the case, is on bail. The incident took place in February 2017.
