Shame on you Basanth

To:

 

Justice Altamas Kabir - Honourable Chief Justice of India

Justice Manjula Chellur - Honourable Chief Justice of Kerala High Court

 

We, the citizens of Kerala are profoundly shocked and dismayed by the nauseating remarks made by Justice R.Basanth on the character of a girl who was an unfortunate victim of a group rape incident, better known as Suryanelli Case.

 

It was long back in 1996 that the victim, a girl of 14 years then, was taken to different locations in Kerala and sexually harassed and assaulted continuously for 40 days by 42 men. Though, on 20 January 2005, the Kerala High Court had acquitted 35 people who were convicted earlier, the Supreme Court on Jan 31 2013 set aside the Kerala High Court’s order asking them to take a fresh look at the case.

 

From the very outset, the investigation was regarded by many as biased and favouring the real culprits and the trial, an unfair one.

 

Recently, new charges have popped up against another notable person, P.J.Kurien, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, who was earlier suspected of involvement but was freed by tampering the evidence due to his political, financial and religious influences.

 

Several women organizations and political parties have come up demanding fresh investigation of the case and it is at this juncture that Justice R.Basanth had come up with remarks of serious character assassination against the girl. Justice Basanth has now labeled the poor victim as someone engaged in ‘child prostitution’ and had termed her character as ‘deviant’.

 

Justice R.Basanth, in his remarks of yesterday (09/02/2013) had even taken the liberty to deride the apex court with his comments that the “Supreme Court have not read the verdict properly”.

 

It is a shame to the judiciary that this person is allowed to continue in his profession and we, the citizens of Kerala request the apex court to reinvestigate or direct Kerala High Court to reopen the case and also take appropriate action against this foul-mouthed judge for his remarks.