The Kerala High Court on Thursday cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to writer and social activist Civic Chandran in a sexual harassment case. Justice A Badharudeen set aside a sessions court order that granted him bail on appeals that are moved by the state of Kerala and a woman belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, news agency PTI reported.
Chandran is accused in two sexual harassment cases. In one case, a writer from ST community had alleged sexual harassment by him during a book exhibition in April, while in another case, a different woman had alleged sexual harassment at a book exhibition in 2020. The sessions court had granted him bail on both cases.
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The HC directed him to surrender before the investigating officer within seven day, and for medical examination, if any, for the purpose of the probe.
The court further said that if Chandran is arrested, he shall be presented before the special court on the same day and if any regular bail plea is moved it should be considered on merits and orders be passed as early as possible.
A single-bench judge of the Kerala high court last week had upheld the anticipatory bail granted to him in another sexual harassment case. However, the HC had expunged the controversial remarks by the Kozhikode district sessions court judge that offence of molestation would not be attracted as the victim was wearing “sexually provocative clothes”.
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The HC had said that a woman’s clothes cannot be a license to outrage her modesty, nor can it be grounds for absolving accused who have committed such crimes.