A local court in Kochi has granted Malayalam actor and CPI(M) legislator K Mukesh interim relief from arrest in a rape case.
On Thursday, the court directed the police not to apprehend Mukesh until September 3, allowing him time to seek anticipatory bail.
Mukesh, representing Kollam, had applied for anticipatory bail after the Kerala police registered an FIR against him on August 28.
The complaint was filed by a female actor who alleges that Mukesh sexually assaulted her in 2010.
The case under IPC Section 376 (rape) was registered at the Maradu police station.
The Principal Sessions Court granted the interim relief, noting that there was little risk of Mukesh evading the law.
The court's order stated that the Investigating Officer (IO) should not arrest the actor until September 3, highlighting that Mukesh is unlikely to flee.
In his bail application, Mukesh claimed that the allegations were made with malicious intent, asserting that the case was part of an effort to damage his political and acting career.
This legal development comes amid mounting pressure from opposition parties demanding Mukesh’s resignation as a legislator.
The case follows revelations by the Justice K Hema Committee, which exposed widespread abuse and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.
Mukesh, along with other prominent figures such as Jayasurya and Siddique, has been implicated in allegations stemming from the committee’s findings.
Mukesh’s anticipatory bail plea and the court’s decision not to arrest him until next week have garnered significant attention amid ongoing discussions about harassment and accountability in the film industry.
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