Former actress to approach Kerala HC against bail for ‘tainted’ CPI-M legislator Mukesh

Kochi, Sep 9 (IANS) The former actress, who levied charges of sexual harassment against actor-turned-CPI-M MLA Mukesh, on Monday said that she will move the Kerala High Court against the anticipatory bail granted to him after the U-turn by the special investigation team (SIT), formed to probe all cases that followed release of the Hema Committee report, deciding that it would not appeal the decision though it had earlier indicated the possibility of challenging it.

The former actress was bold enough to appear in public soon after the Justice K. Hema Committee report on the miserable conditions and sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry was released on August 19, with her complaint, and now she said that she decided to appeal against the lower court’s verdict.

The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court, after a long hearing, granted anticipatory bail to Mukesh on Thursday night. There had been several protests against Mukesh by the Congress and the BJP, as they demanded that he step down in the wake of the allegations against him. However, his party had expressed support for him.

Trouble has been brewing in the Malayalam film industry ever since the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, with its explosive revelations, as it triggered 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 women. Those in the dock are 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 SIT 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 any of the accused.

–IANS

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