India, Nov. 3 -- The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea by a rape survivor seeking the removal of a judicial officer facing rape prosecution from presiding over a special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, while indicating that the Allahabad High Court could be asked to expedite the pending vigilance inquiry against him.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued notice on the petition challenging the high court's August 17 order that dismissed the survivor's plea to restrain additional district judge Ashok Bhartendu from discharging judicial duties as the presiding officer of the POCSO court in Shamli's Kairana.

The bench on Monda...