The Kerala Court has granted Malayalam actor Mukesh interim protection from detention until September 3. Mukesh, a Kerala MLA, has been charged with rape following claims made by a female actor. According to reports, Mukesh has applied for anticipatory bail and interim orders from the Principal Sessions Court in Ernakulam. The court issued an interim injunction stating that he should not be arrested until September 3. According to reports, he claimed the complainant was blackmailing him. He claimed to have evidence of the same and presented it in court.
Earlier today, a FIR was claimed to have been filed against the actor MLA. According to the Bar and Bench, Mukesh has been charged under Sections 354 (assaulting or using criminal force against a woman with the purpose of outraging her modesty) and 509 (insulting a lady's modesty with words, noises, gestures, or objects) of the Indian Penal Code. He had gone to the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court, where he was granted protection for five days. Mukesh is not the only one who has come under scrutiny. An FIR has been lodged against both actor Jayasurya and Edavela Babu.
The FIR against Jayasurya was apparently filed under Section 354 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which covers intent to offend a woman's modesty. The defendant has also been charged with sexual and verbal assault. According to India Today, the actress stated the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday night, a day after accusing them of verbal and physical assault on Facebook.
Cases of sexual assault in the Malayalam film industry have been recorded since the Justice Hema Committee Report was made public earlier this month. Several actresses have accused male industry figures of harassing them. So far, seventeen cases have been filed. Following this, Mohanlal resigned from his position as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
Also Read: Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer The Buckingham Murders' first Song ‘Sada Pyaar Tut Gaya’ is out now
