Temporary relief after actor-turned-CPI-M legislator Mukesh’s arrest in rape case

Kochi, Aug 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) Malayalam actor and former CPI-M MP Mukesh landed in trouble after a former actress accused him of rape and the police registered a case. On Thursday, a Kochi court granted him an interim order restraining his arrest till September 3.

Mukesh, who has been incommunicado since the allegations surfaced, approached the Ernakulam District and Sessions court on Thursday seeking anticipatory bail.

Mukesh and more than half a dozen film actors and directors faced trouble. Several actresses made allegations of sexual exploitation after the release of the Justice K Hema Commission report, which exposed widespread sexual abuse and discrimination against women in the industry.

After the former actress came out in public on Wednesday and a special police team recorded her statements, an FIR was filed against Mukesh on charges of rape. He has also been charged under sections relating to assaulting or using criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty and insulting the modesty of a woman by words, sounds, gestures or objects.

The Justice K. Hema (retd) Committee was constituted by the Kerala government in 2017 following a petition by the ‘Women in Cinema Collective’ to look into the issues faced by women in the film industry and submitted the report in 2019. However, after a protracted legal battle, the State Information Commission later allowed a request by certain parties (journalists) to access the report after redacting personal information to protect the privacy of witnesses. The report was finally released on August 19.

Following the charges against Mukesh, the opposition parties Congress and BJP have risen up in arms. They are holding protests demanding his resignation, but so far the CPI-M has resisted.

Meanwhile, Mukesh’s lawyer on Thursday claimed that there is evidence that the complainant tried to get money from the actor-politician as he is a popular figure in Kerala.

Source: IANS

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