The Kerala High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on appeals filed by the State government and the victim in the sexual assault case seeking to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to writer and social activist Civic Chandran by the Kozhikode Sessions Court.
The appeals pointed out that while granting the writer anticipatory bail, the sessions court had observed that the writer was fighting against the caste system and was involved in a number of agitations. Therefore, the offences under the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act did not prima facie stand against him. The sessions court had also observed that the available material showed that there was an attempt to tarnish the status of Chandran in society. The findings were unjust and unsustainable in law, the appeals contended.
The government submitted that the custodial interrogation of Chandran was essential. The reasons given by the sessions court for granting him anticipatory bail were perverse and untenable.
