Film producer seeks bail in abuse case
KOCHI: With one more victim joining the #Metoo bandwagon, Malayalam movie actor-cumproducer Vijay Babu on Friday approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the sexual assault case registered against him.
In the anticipatory bail plea, Babu, who is on the run ever since the victim lodged complaint with the police, alleged that the actress is trying to blackmail him.
He said the actress approached him seeking chances to act in movies produced by him.
“She was chosen for a role in one of his films following an audition. Even before and ater working with me, she kept messaging and got close to me knowing well that I was married and had a family,” Babu said.
The woman, who appeared in movies produced by Babu’s production house, lodged a complaint with the police on April 22 and detailed through a Facebook post the physical assault and sexual exploitation she had allegedly suffered at the hands of the producer-actor for the past one and half months. Based on the woman’s complaint, Ernakulam South police registered a case against Babu for sexual assault.
In a Facebook live, Babu denied the charges and also revealed the identity of the victim.
Police also registered another case against him for disclosing the complainant’s identity.
According to police, there are enough primary evidences against Babu and arrest would be made soon.
“We are expecting that he might come and surrender before the law. We have already requested the court to impound his passport if he is not coming forward,” City Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju told media persons on Friday.
Police have retrieved CCTV footage from various hotels visited by the duo.
The police took statements of eight persons, including those from the cinema field, in connection with the case.
The police had earlier issued a lookout notice against him.
Police collected evidence from hotels in the city and the luxury flats in Chilavanoor where Babu resided.
It was found in the police inquiry that the actor was present at these places along with the actress.
Nagaraju said that the police had collected scientific evidence from the places where it undertook raids, and there was prima facie evidence to link the actor with the case.