Kochi: Kozhikode District Judge S Krishnakumar, who made controversial remarks in the judgment granting anticipatory bail to activist Civic Chandran in a sexual assault case, has been transferred from the post. He has been now posted as the judge of Kollam Labour Court.  

According to the transfer order issued by the Kerala High Court, Manjeri District and Sessions Judge S Muralikrishnan will be the new Kozhikode district and sessions judge. The judiciary-transfer and posting orders of district and sessions judges, issued by the high court late on Tuesday, is part of its routine administrative affairs.

As per the order, Kollam Labour Court Judge Dr CS Mohith will be the new Ernakulam Labour Court Judge, while Ernakulam Additional District Judge C Pradeep Kumar will take charge as the new Manjeri District Judge.   

Judge Krishnakumar's observations regarding survivors in his two orders on the anticipatory bail pleas moved by Civic Chandran, who is also a writer and social activist, in two sexual harassment cases had stirred up a nation-wide controversy.

The Kerala government has moved the High Court seeking to set aside the sessions court's orders granting bail to Chandran in the case.

Opposing the sessions court order granting bail to Chandran in a case of sexually abusing a Dalit woman, the state government has contended that the judgement of the lower court "suffers from illegality and manifest errors" warranting its intervention.

While granting bail to Chandran in the case, judge Krishnakumar, in his order dated August 2, had observed that the accused was a reformist, and against the caste system and it was highly unbelievable that he would have touched her knowing fully that she belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC).

The judge had also made controversial observations about the dressing of the survivor while granting bail to Chandran in the bail application moved by Chandran in another case of sexual harassment against him.

In its August 12 order, the court had observed that the photograph of the complainant, produced by the accused along with the bail application, would explain that she "herself is exposing to dresses which are having some sexual provocative one and it is impossible to believe that a man aged 74 and physically disabled can forcefully put the complainant on his lap and sexually press her breast.