'SC-ST Act will not stand': Court decision granting bail to Civic Chandran in first case lands in controversy

KOZHIKODE: The court decision granting anticipatory bail in the first case to activist Civic Chandran has also landed in controversy. The court said that the SC-ST Act will not stand for a person who recorded no caste in the SSLC book. Legal experts say that this reference is against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Act.

The court granted anticipatory bail to Civic Chandran on a harassment complaint filed by a Dalit woman, who is a writer and teacher. The prosecution had produced WhatsApp chats sent by Civic Chandran to the woman. But the Sessions Court granted anticipatory bail without any conditions considering the defense's argument that the Scheduled Caste Atrocities Act is not valid.

The court's stand on his anticipatory bail by Civic Chandran in the second case of sexual harassment registered by the Koyilandi police was also controversial. The accused had produced the photographs of the day of the alleged incident. In this, the young woman was wearing clothes in such a way that her body parts were visible. The court found that Section 354-A for harassment does not apply because the young woman was wearing provocative clothes. Kozhikode Sessions Court judge S Krishnakumar granted anticipatory bail to Civic Chandran on August 12, but the copy of the order was released last day.