×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Kerala court cites woman's 'sexually provocative' dress to grant bail to molestation accused

Upset over the remarks made in the verdict, the woman victim is believed to be exploring her legal options
Last Updated 17 August 2022, 16:18 IST

A Sessions Court in Kerala's Kozhikode cited a woman's "sexually provocative" clothing as grounds for granting anticipatory bail to a writer accused of molesting her.

In the anticipatory bail order given to writer and social activist Civic Chandran, Sessions Judge S Krishna Kumar observed that since the accused was aged 74 and physically disabled, it was impossible to believe that he forcefully sexually assaulted the woman. The court said the accused had a good reputation in society while pointing out that his elder daughter was a deputy collector and that his younger daughter was an assistant professor.

Upset over the remarks made in the verdict, the woman victim is believed to be exploring her legal options. A copy of the order issued on Aug. 12 was just released.

This case is the second sexual assault complaint made against Chandran. He had recently secured anticipatory bail in a case pertaining to an attempt to molest a Dalit woman writer in April 2022. The present case pertained to a sexual assault that purportedly took place during a camp at a beach in Kozhikode in February 2020. The 30-year-old woman victim said in a complaint filed last month that the accused forcefully took her to an isolated location and sexually assaulted her.

The court order said that the photos produced along with the accused's bail application revealed that the complainant's dresses were sexually provocative. So, Section 354A (of the IPC) will not prima facie stand against the accused, the court said.

Apart from asking for the reason for the delay in filing the petition, the court said in its order that it was quite unfortunate to see that a woman aged 30 had filed a complaint against the accused who had a good reputation in society.

Kerala Women's Commission chairperson P Satheedevi said that it was "unfortunate" that a sexual assault case accused was being granted anticipatory bail on the basis of the dressing of the survivor. "It would send a wrong message to society."

Many people had expressed serious concerns on social media over the court order.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 17 August 2022, 09:57 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT