STATE OF KERALA Vs. NOWFAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The order declining a request made by the prosecution to video-record the court proceedings relating to the offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, (for short, the SC/ST Act) is under challenge in this Crl.M.C.

(2.) The petitioner is the State and the respondent is the accused in SC No.245/2020 on the file of the Sessions Court, Pathanamthitta. The offences alleged are punishable under Ss. 366, 342, 354, 354A, 354B, 376 of IPC and S.3(1)(w) and 3 (2)(v) of the SC/ST Act.

(3.) The petitioner/State filed a petition, supported by the affidavit of the victim, at the Court below as Crl.M.C.No.974/2021 u/s 15A(10) of the SC/ST Act seeking an order for video recording of the entire trial proceedings of the Sessions Case. The Court below after hearing both sides dismissed the said petition as per Annexure A order dtd. 16/7/2021, which is impugned herein.