The Malayalam film industry and the political circles of Kerala will focus their attention on the proceedings in the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court from Monday as the anticipatory bail pleas of actors Mukesh and Maniyanpilla Raju, who are facing charges of rape and outraging the modesty of women, respectively, come up before the court.
The anticipatory bail plea of former president of the Lawyers’ Congress V.S. Chandrasekharan, booked for outraging the modesty of a woman, will also be considered by the court on Monday. The case of Mr. Raju will come up on September 6. Jayasurya, another actor accused for outraging the modesty of a woman, is yet to move court.
The court had earlier stayed the arrest of Mr. Mukesh, a two-time Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] MLA, till September 3 and that of Mr. Raju till September 6.
Mukesh’s resignation
The court proceedings would have a bearing on the CPI(M) and the ruling dispensation as the party has sidestepped the demands for the resignation of Mr. Mukesh. However, the party may find it hard to ignore the growing demand for his scalp in the event of the court rejecting the bail plea and the police arresting him. The police are likely to demand the custody of the actor for interrogation and verification of the statements of the complainant. The police had carried out inspections at an apartment owned by the actor at Maradu on Saturday.
The statement of Annie Raja, a member of the national secretariat of the Communist Party of India (CPI), demanding the resignation of the actor has left the Left Democratic Front (LDF) leadership in deep discomfiture. CPI State secretary Binoy Viswom, who distanced himself from the statement of Ms. Raja, took the position that it was the State leadership of the party and not anyone from the Centre who had to comment on a political development in Kerala. Interestingly, the CPI has yet to make its stand public on the issue.
The police, which have so far registered 17 cases, are likely to book more cases following fresh revelations made by woman actors. A woman actor on Saturday alleged that 28 people, including directors, producers, and actors of a Malayalam movie, had attempted to rape her in 1997.
Published - September 01, 2024 07:39 pm IST
