Thrissur: Congress leader Anil Akkara has called for a change of the judge hearing actor and MLA M Mukesh’s anticipatory bail plea in the sexual assault case.

Akkara has filed a complaint with the High Court Registrar, arguing that Judge Honey M. Varghese's affiliations with the CPM could compromise the fairness of the proceedings. 

Judge Honey M. Varghese, who is overseeing the case, is the daughter of CPM Thrissur District Secretary M M Varghese. She also stood in the Pananchery Grama Panchayat elections as a CPM candidate. Akkara has raised concerns that these connections may affect the impartiality of the court's decisions.

Additionally, Akkara’s complaint points out Varghese’s previous involvement in the 2017 sexual assault case involving a popular Malayalam actress, where crucial evidence, including a memory card, went missing. Akkara argues that this background raises concerns about potential bias in her handling of the case.

The bail plea for Mukesh is scheduled for hearing on September 2. Meanwhile, the court has ordered that Mukesh's arrest be stayed until Tuesday.