SC rejects review plea against Neelalohithadasan Nadar acquittal in sexual assault case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition challenging its judgment upholding the acquittal of former minister Neelalohithadasan Nadar in a sexual assault case.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the review petition after considering it in chambers. The petition was filed by the former Chief Conservator of Forests who had lodged the complaint against Nadar.

The sexual assault case against Nadar was registered in 1999 based on a complaint by the former forest department officer. She alleged that Nadar had called her to the government guest house in Kozhikode and sexually assaulted her. The complaint was lodged against the former minister in February 2002, according to the case records.

At the initial stage of the proceedings, the trial court found Nadar guilty and sentenced him to one year’s imprisonment.

Nadar challenged the conviction before the Kerala High Court. A Division Bench of the High Court subsequently acquitted him, setting aside the trial court’s verdict. Challenging the acquittal, the complainant approached the Supreme Court.

In January, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta dismissed her appeal challenging the High Court verdict. The review petition was filed seeking reconsideration of that Supreme Court judgment. The Supreme Court has now dismissed the review petition as well.