A sessions court in Kochi on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to rape-accused actor and CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh and small-time actor Edavela Babu, who has been booked for sexual assault.
“Petition is allowed,” Ernakulam District and Sessions Judge, Honey M Varghese said in the order allowing the respective anticipatory bail pleas of Mukesh and Babu.
The allegation of rape against Mukesh has been made by a female actor who also levelled accusations of sexual assault against actors Babu and Jayasurya and others.
Following the woman’s accusation, an FIR under section 376 (rape) of the IPC was registered against Mukesh who claimed that the charge against him was the outcome of his not succumbing to blackmail attempts by the complainant.
Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high-profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.
The committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.
Following the allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them.
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