Rape accused actor-producer Babu returns from Dubai, questioned
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Kerala high court granted interim anticipatory bail to rape-accused actor and producer Vijay Babu, he returned to Thiruvananthapuram from Dubai and was questioned in connection with the case.
“I have immense faith in the judiciary. I hope I can prove my innocence,” he said upon his arrival Wednesday, 39 days after the police registered two cases against him.
A Malayalam actor who made her debut in Babu’s film filed a complaint on April 22 accusing him of sexually abusing her several times by promising her roles and forcing her to take drugs. Later, the police had filed another case against Babu for identifying the complainant by name on social media.
Kochi police commissioner, Nagaraju Chakilam, said Babu will be questioned on Thursday as well — the same day the high court is also scheduled to take a final decision on the actor-producer’s bail petition.
“We have taken strict measures and even had his passport cancelled... These measures forced him to return to the country. We have strong evidence against him,” said Chakilam.
Babu left the country via Mumbai airport on April 23 for the United Arab Emirates and later named the actor on social media, which prompted the second case. Babu has been booked under the Indian Penal Code ( IPC) sections 376 ( sexual assault), 323 (causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) in the first case. The second case has been registered under IPC section 228A.
In a Facebook live session held a week after he left, Babu denied the rape charges and claimed that he had not fled to Dubai but had travelled on a work-related trip. He said he has known the complainant since 2018 and gave her a chance to act in one of his films. Babu insisted they were not in touch for over a year and that she was upset with him for not giving her good roles. He claimed that their relationship was consensual.