MeToo Accused Malayalam Actors Mukesh And Edavela Babu Get Anticipatory Bail in Sexual Assault Cases

Mollyood's #MeToo Uproar: The findings of the Hema Committee Report gripped the Malayalam film industry by exposing the systematic sexual abuse faced by women artists. Several female artists in the industry have levelled serious allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against known personalities. Cases had been registered against actor and CPI-M legislator Mukesh as well as former AMMA general secretary Edavela Babu. However, the actors have been granted pre-arrest bail in the matter.

Mukesh M, Edavela Babu granted pre-arrest bail 

In relief for actor and two-time CPI-M legislator and actor Mukesh and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes' former General Secretary Edavela Babu, who have been booked by police on complaints of sexual assault by a former actress, a court in Kerala's Kochi on Thursday night granted them anticipatory bail. The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court, while granting Mukesh interim relief from arrest last week till its final orders, granted him anticipatory bail. Likewise, Babu also got bail.

As per Bar and Bench, “First information reports (FIRs) were registered against Mukesh and Babu for commission of rape which is punishable under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. Both men were also booked under Sections 354 (assaulting or using criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman with words, sounds, gestures, or objects) of the Indian Penal Code.” The actors moved to the session court to seek bail, which they were ultimately granted.

Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe still in sexual assault allegations 

Trouble has been brewing in the Malayalam film industry ever since the August 19 release of the damning report of the Justice K. Hema Committee, which probed the conditions of the women working in the Malayalam film industries, and made explosive revelations, triggering a storm of complaints against top film personalities. Kerala Police have so far registered FIRs against 11 people, ten of which are from the film industry based on the complaints from actresses. Those who are in the dock after the police registered FIRs, include actors Mukesh, Nivin Pauly, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, directors Ranjith and V.K. Prakash, and production executives Vichu and Noble. Actor Baburaj and director Tulasidas have been named in complaints too, but no FIRs have been registered against them so far.

Meanwhile, the special investigation team of 7 police officials, of which four are woman IPS officers, are currently taking statements from those victims who have come forward with their complaints but are yet to question the accused. In a related development on Thursday, the Kerala High Court's acting Chief Justice A.Muhamed Mustaque ordered the formation of a special two-member bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.S. Sudha to look into all cases that will be registered based on Hema Committee report.

(With inputs from IANS)