Malayalam actress to move Kerala High Court for woman judge in case

KOCHI: The woman actor who was abducted and sexually assaulted, is planning to approach the Kerala High Court seeking appointment of a woman judge for the trial of the case. The decision to approach the High Court was taken in the wake of the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court rejecting a petition seeking a woman judge for the trial.

Sources familiar with the development said the petition will be filed in the High Court by next week. The Principal Sessions court had rejected the demand two weeks ago citing absence of woman judges in the Sessions courts of Ernakulam. The actor would cite sensitivity of the case and her privacy as reasons for seeking a woman judge for the trial. She would also highlight the need for speedy completion of the trial.

The petition seeking a woman judge for trial is coming up in the HC amidst the stir created over the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) deciding to re-admit actor Dileep, one of the prime accused in the case, into the organisation. As the issue snowballed into a major controversy, Dileep has issued a statement saying that he would not be associated with any organisation till he proved his innocence in the case.