The Madras High Court on Friday reserved orders on former special DGP Rajesh Das’s plea to transfer an appeal, against his conviction in a woman harassment case, from the Villupuram Principal District Court to any other court.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh deferred his verdict after hearing senior counsel V. Prakash for the petitioner and an Additional Public Prosecutor.
In his affidavit, the former special DGP had said the appellate court had been influenced by the huge adverse publicity that the case had gained in the media. “The appellate court is very much influenced and predisposed to such an extent that I believe that my appellate remedy before the learned judge could be illusory and an empty formality just as the trial proved to be before the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate,” the affidavit read.
Stating that he wanted to be present in the court at every hearing to assist his counsel effectively, the petitioner said he could not go to the court regularly after undergoing a bypass surgery on July 24, 2023, and therefore his counsel had to seek adjournments on a few occasions.
Taking exception to such repeated requests for adjournments, the appellate court judge had decided to pronounce judgment even before completion of arguments, the petitioner complained and said: “It does not inspire confidence that a free and fair mind is hearing the appeal.”
