Kerala HC denies plea for in-camera proceedings in trial of Abhimanyu murder case
The Kerala High Court denied a request for in-camera proceedings in the Abhimanyu murder case, ruling that an open-court trial is the standard. However, the court ordered restrictions on photography and video recording of the accused to protect the integrity of witness identification.
Why it matters
This case highlights the tension between the principle of open justice and the need to protect the fairness of criminal trials in high-profile, media-sensitive cases.
The Kerala High Court has upheld the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court’s decision denying a plea for in-camera proceedings by the accused in the Abhimanyu murder case.
Justice C.S. Dias held that the circumstances of the case did not warrant a direction for an ‘in-camera trial’. However, the High Court directed the trial court to ensure that photography and video-recording of the accused are not permitted inside the courtroom and to consider restricting public entry during the examination of eyewitnesses.
Initially, the petitioners approached the trial court, where it was held that there was no material to establish that an open-court trial would harm the fair administration of justice.
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