KOCHI: Ernakulam District and Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese criticised advocate T B Mini, the counsel for the survivor in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case, observing that she appeared in court for fewer than 10 days over the course of the trial.
Mini, however, termed the criticism, made during a contempt of court hearing, as personal in nature and asserted that she regularly and diligently followed court proceedings during the trial.
“A victim’s counsel can only assist the prosecution with the court’s permission, acting in a secondary, supportive role, not as a parallel prosecutor. The court made the remarks ignoring these facts,” Mini said. She also termed the judge’s actions as self contemptuous.
The court also orally observed that the victim’s counsel usually sleeps during court hours, comes to court as if it were a place of rest, and then goes on to criticise the court.
Denying the allegations, Mini said the remarks were defamatory. “In the contempt matter, my junior appeared. If the court wanted me to appear, it could have posted the matter after lunch or the next day, which is the normal practice. Moreover, the remarks made by the judge relate to a matter that has already been decided. That is not fair,” she said.