Woman MLA groped during budget session; Supreme Court issues notice to MA Waheed

The Supreme Court has intervened in a petition filed by KK Latika challenging the quashing of the case filed against MA Waheed during the protests in the assembly during the presentation of the 2015 budget. The complaint was that former Congress MLA MA Waheed restrained KK Latika and grabbed her on various parts of her body.

The Supreme Court has issued notice on the petition filed by KK Latika. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices to MA Waheed and the state government on the petition. The petition alleged that Waheed had the case quashed by hiding the facts from the High Court.

The protests intensified in 2015 when Finance Minister KM Mani, during the Oommen Chandy government, came to the House to present the 13th budget. KK Latika has alleged in her complaint that MA Waheed stopped her and grabbed her on various parts of her body, and that she was pushed down when she went ahead despite this.

The Kerala High Court had quashed the case filed before the First Class Magistrate Court on the complaint of KK Latika. However, Latika's lawyer argued in the Supreme Court that Waheed obtained a favorable verdict from the High Court by concealing several parts of Latika's statement.