The High court of Kerala has kept in abeyance the transfer order of Honey M. Varghese, the Special Judge, Ernakulam, to Kozhikode who is at present trying a case relating to sexual assault of a female actor.
The High Court had order the transfer of 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 said trial in the case was midway through.
The High Court had constituted the special court for hearing the sexual assault case on a petition filed by the victim actor.
P.G. Ajithkumar, Registrar (Subordinate Judiciary), however lately through an order informed that the special Judge till further orders was allowed to continue with her position. The court has however directed other officers who were transferred as part of the general transfer to join their respective Courts from July 1.
The case before the special judge has begun its trial and examination of witnesses and the victim has been completed.
The Kerala actor assault case pertains to the abduction and sexual assault of a leading Malayalam female actor in 2017. Actor Dileep is accused of masterminding the assault, which had jolted Kerala. Justice Honey Varghese was given charge of the trial in the case in February 2019 following a plea by the survivor actor in the High Court that a woman judge should hear the case.
-India Legal Bureau