The Hindu : National : Neelalohithadasan acquitted in sexual harassment case

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Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
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Neelalohithadasan acquitted in sexual harassment case

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The former Transport Minister and Bahujan Samajwadi Party leader A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar was on Tuesday acquitted by M.R. Anitha, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court III after the court set aside a sexual harassment conviction against him by a magistrate court in September 2005.

The magistrate court had sentenced Dr. Nadar to three months’ simple imprisonment and a compensation of Rs. 50,000 for allgedly harassing Nalini Netto, former Transport Secretary, in his chamber in the Assembly complex here on December 21, 1999.

But the Sessions Judge said the “finding and sentence is without appreciating the facts and circumstances… and without evaluating the oral and documentary evidence in a proper perspective. So it [judgment] is not sustainable.”

The court said the prosecution failed to prove that the former Minister had outraged the modesty of Ms. Netto “intentionally” or “knowingly” as alleged.

‘Inconsistent’

Her evidence was “inconsistent” and “full of embellishments.” Besides, “no criminal complaint was filed by her regarding the incident.”

The court also turned down a plea by the special prosecutor that Dr. Nadar was convicted in a similar case in Kozhikode, pointing out that a revision was pending before the High Court against the judgment “… and hence it cannot be looked into by the court in these proceedings.”

Charge sheet

According to the charge sheet filed by R.S. Mooshahary, former chief of the Crime Branch CID, who first investigated the present case, Dr. Nadar grappled with her and forcibly tried to kiss her. Ms. Netto sustained injuries in the lips and the right index finger.

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