Kerala HC grants anticipatory bail to rape accused Malayalam actor-producer Vijay Babu

By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to actor-producer Vijay Babu accused in a rape case filed in opposition to him by an actress.

While granting bail, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas directed the petitioner to give up earlier than the investigating officer on June 27 at 9 am for interrogation. The petitioner may be interrogated for the subsequent seven days that’s from June 27 until July 3 from 9 am to six pm on daily basis if required.

The petitioner shall be deemed to be underneath custody throughout the interval for facilitating the necessities of the investigation. If the investigating officer intends to arrest the petitioner, then he needs to be launched on bail after executing a bond for Rs 5 lakhs. The petitioner ought to seem earlier than the investigating officer as and when referred to as for. He shouldn’t contact or work together with the sufferer or any of the witnesses.

“The petitioner shall not indulge in any form of attack through social media against the victim or her family. He shall not leave Kerala without prior permission of the court,” held the court docket.

In the petition, Vijay Babu alleged that the actor, who filed a criticism in opposition to him, used to name him at odd hours and used to ship messages incessantly to his cell phone. She often made makes an attempt to maintain the connection with him and now he understood that she meant to get extra possibilities within the movie business. He had stored all messages, WhatsApp messages, Instagram messages, and pictures and movies despatched from the cellular variety of the complainant intact and was ready to provide it earlier than the investigating company if he would get an opportunity to elucidate the main points.

The petition additionally said the try of the actor was to blackmail the petitioner by submitting the criticism alleging that the petitioner forcefully sexually assaulted her.

He added that there was no forceful sexual abuse from his facet. “The complainant is aged 25 years. Hence, she is capable of understanding things and she is fully aware of the family details of the petitioner,” he stated.