SC defers hearing in Suryanelli case till April 13

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday deferred the hearing on appeals filed by the convicts in the Suryanelli case till April 13.

Senior advocate V.Giri and standing council M.R Ramesh Babu, appearing for Kerala, had argued the court not to consider the bail plea filed by the convicts in the case.

The Kerala High Court had acquitted 35 persons who were convicted by a special court in September 2000. However, the Supreme Court on January 2013 set aside the Kerala High Court’s order acquitting 35 accused in the 1996 Suryanelli rape case

The case relates to a victim, who was a minor at the time and was taken to various places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu by the convicts, travelling about 3000 km during a 40-day ordeal when she was raped by over 40 persons, before being released on February 26, 1996.