Former Forest officer files review petition against dismissal of SLP in sexual harassment case

A former woman Forest official of Kerala, who had raised a sexual harassment complaint against former State Minister Neelalohithadasan Nadar, has approached the Supreme Court with a review petition against the court order dismissing her Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the case.

The apex court had dismissed her SLP challenging the Kerala High Court order, which set aside Mr. Nadar’s conviction in the case.

The Single Judge of the High Court had set aside the conviction awarded by the trial courts for outraging the modesty of a woman and acquitted him of all the charges.

The petitioner had complained that the High Court did not offer her a chance to be heard and no notice was served to her in the revision proceedings, at any stage. She also complained that she had no opportunity of being heard or of defending the concurrent judgments of conviction of the trial courts before the High Court, which according to her, violated the settled principles of law.

The petitioner contended that the dismissal of the SLP, which challenged the “gravely erroneous” judgment of the High Court, perpetuated injustice.

She had earlier approached the State government to file an SLP against the order of the High Court to uphold her dignity as well as the dignity of women in the workplace and restore faith in the rule of law so that more women come out and file cases against sexual harassment. However, the State had refused to file an SLP, she said.