On a February morning in 2025, all eyes turned to a woman in green as she entered the crowded courtroom in Ernakulam and walked towards Judge Honey Varghese. Ignoring her lawyer’s quiet warnings, the woman began to describe the physical abuse she had endured from her former live-in partner. It was the fourth or fifth case listed for the day, with many more to follow. Judge Honey listened closely. She allowed the woman to step out briefly to bring photographic evidence, and when the photos were placed before her, the judge who had until then balanced firmness and warmth winced and turned away, visibly disturbed. She then conveyed to the defendant’s lawyers that the woman’s primary wish was simply “for her feelings to be respected.”
A Rare Glimpse of Empathy Inside a Crowded Court
This moment of empathetic approach stood out sharply as Judge Honey delivered the most scrutinised verdict of her career the judgment in the 2017 abduction and sexual assault of a prominent Malayalam actor Dileep she convicted Pulsar Suni and five others for kidnapping and assaulting the actor, but acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep of charges of criminal conspiracy. The ruling instantly triggered debate, reviving years of concerns and allegations surrounding the trial and placing Judge Honey herself under an intense spotlight, The News Minute reports.
A Polarising Verdict That Reignited a Statewide Debate
Throughout the eight year long trial, the judge was under as much scrutiny as the accused and the survivor. The survivor had approached the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court multiple times asking that the case be moved away from Judge Honey’s court, saying she felt distressed and retraumatised by how the proceedings were being handled. Though the higher courts did not transfer the trial, the petitions shaped public perception and became part of the story of the case, Mathrubhumi English reports.
Survivor’s Repeated Petitions Cast a Shadow Over the Trial
Judge Honey M Varghese comes from a family strongly rooted in the Left movement, she is the daughter of MM Varghese, former Thrissur CPI(M) district secretary and had been involved in the communist movement during her college years. During the actor-assault trial, critics repeatedly argued that she withheld a 2020 forensic report which showed that the memory card containing the assault visuals had been illegally accessed. Others claimed that the prosecution faced unusual hurdles in presenting evidence before her, Big TV reports.
Political Roots and Controversies That Fuelled Criticism
A remark made by her in 2022 at a Social Welfare Department event added to the debate. She said that a prosecutor’s duty was not only to secure convictions but to uphold justice for society.
A Judge Who Redefined the Role of Prosecution
Judge Honey’s judicial career began in Thrissur, where she worked as a junior to advocate KB Mohandas. She practised in the district until 2012, when she was appointed District and Sessions Judge through direct recruitment. She later presided over cases in the CBI special court in Ernakulam. Her move to the Additional Special Sessions Court in 2019 brought her directly into the high-profile actor-assault trial, and in November 2021, she was promoted as judge of the Ernakulam Principal and Sessions Court, making her the presiding officer in one of Kerala’s most sensitive criminal cases.
A Swift Rise Through Kerala’s Judicial Ranks
Those who have appeared before her often describe her as firm, methodical, and unafraid to maintain control of a crowded courtroom. In smaller domestic violence cases, she can also show striking compassion and patience. It is this contrast of empathy in some cases and rigidity in others that has shaped the public debate around her judicial style.
A Judicial Style Marked by Contradictions
Now, with the acquittal of Dileep and the conviction of six others, her reasoning will undergo close legal and public scrutiny. Appeals are expected, and reactions continue to flow.
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