Advocate TB Mini, a lawyer who represented the survivor in the 2017 actress assault case, has approached the Kerala High Court seeking contempt of court action against the trial judge who dealt with the case, Judge Honey M Varghese [TB Mini v The Hon'ble Registrar General & ors].
Advocate TB Mini had assisted the public prosecutor in the actress assault case and connected matters before the trial court as well as the High Court.
Judge Varghese, who delivered the verdict in the case, was subsequently transferred from Ernakulam District Court to Alappuzha District Court as part of a routine judicial transfer.
Advocate Mini has alleged that during the trial, Judge Varghese made certain defamatory statements against her in open court on January 12, 2026, while considering a petition filed on behalf of the survivor actress.
The lawyer has now filed a plea before the High Court seeking the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against judge Varghese.
The petition challenges the Advocate General's refusal to grant consent for the initiation of such contempt proceedings on an application earlier addressed to him by advocate Mini.
Advocate Mini's petition was listed before Justice PV Kunhikrishnan today who posted the matter for further consideration on November 4, Wednesday.
Mini's plea alleges that Judge Varghese had remarked that the lawyer attended fewer than 10 days of the trial, stayed in court for only half an hour and slept during proceedings.
The plea adds that this remark was made in open court, the presence of other lawyers, court staff and media personnel, and falsely portrayed her as a negligent lawyer.
Mini has disputed the comments made by the trial judge, with her plea stating that she attended the trial for more than 200 days, including during the examination of witness and for arguments.
She added that the judge's remarks were subsequently circulated by television channels and social media platforms, leading to abusive comments and attacks on her professional reputation.
According to Mini, the public was led to believe that she had failed in her professional duties and was responsible for the acquittal of certain accused in the case.
"The petitioner suffered irreparable injury to her profession and livelihood because she was projected as an image of incompetence to clients and the general public, thereby destroying her hard-earned professional reputation. The impugned remarks made on 12/01/2026 was not a judicial observation but an extra-judicial person assault that was instantly weaponised by the media against the petitioner," Mini added.
Mini had earlier approached the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court with a complaint seeking contempt action against judge Varghese over the alleged remarks.
She subsequently approached the Advocate General (AG) of Kerala seeking sanction to initiate criminal contempt proceedings. However, the AG rejected her request on April 22, 2026, observing that the alleged remarks could only amount to excessive or extravagant language and would not constitute criminal contempt of court.
Challenging this decision, Mini has now approached the High Court with a fresh plea, stating that the AG failed to properly assess the materials placed before him.
Further she has sought the initiation of contempt action against judge Varghese, along with the expunction of the statements made by her from court records and an official clarification restoring her professional reputation.
Mini has also sought directions for removing related news reports and directions to restrain further publication or circulation of the remarks. The petition was filed through advocate K Nandini.
The trial in the actress assault case had concluded in December 2025 with the conviction of prime accused Pulsar Suni and five others, while actor Dileep - who was accused of masterminding the assault- was acquitted of all charges.
The convicts have moved appeals challenging the verdict. The State has also moved an appeal challenging Dileep's acquittal. The appeals are presntly pending before the High Court.