Kochi, June 22 (UNI) The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to producer and actor Vijay Babu in connection with a case relating to the sexual exploiting of an actress.
Allowing the pre-arrest bail plea with conditions, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas said the actor can be quizzed for the next seven days from June 27 to July 3 from 9 AM to 7 PM.
The court also directed the actor not to influence or be in contact with the witnesses in any manner or attack the victim through social media.
The court also directed him not to leave the State without prior permission of the jurisdictional court.
Denying the prosecution’s argument that he was involved in the sexual assault, the actor claimed that it was a consensual act. Now the rape case was charged against him to blackmail him for not giving her more roles in his films, he added.
Earlier, the South Police Ernakulam filed the case against the actor following a complaint from the actress.
In her post in ‘Women Against Sexual Harassment’ Facebook account, the actress had alleged that she was subjected to sexual exploitation from March 13, 2022 to April 14, 2022, by Vijay Babu, who also disclosed the name of her in his Facebook post.
The actress in the Facebook post says “I have known him for few years in the industry and had worked together with him for a movie. Through this time he gained my trust by being friendly and advising me as I was a newcomer in the film industry with no proper guidance.”
“He behaved like my saviour for my personal and professional problems but under the guise sexually exploited me. His modus operandi was pulling me into the trap with the role of a saviour cum friend cum lover, thereafter intoxicating me and sexually abusing me.”
“Whenever I was conscious, I denied consent for engaging in sex. But for him it was never an issue and disregarding my protest he has raped me several times during the past one and half months.”
“He intoxicated me with alcohol and always used to force me to take happy pills but I denied. When I was incapable of saying yes or no consciously, he used my body as a tool for his pleasure.”
“He has forced himself on me and even forced me into oral sex in a car against my will. I was in a state of shock , incapable to talk or respond.”
“Each time I tried to run away from this trauma, he would come after me with false promises of marriage. There are also several witnesses to the trauma he has put me through. Every time we met, he used to offer me characters in his upcoming films.”
“But that wasn’t my intention. I was under his control and was scared to speak up because of the clout, influence and power he wielded in the film industry. It was a trap to use me.”
“He was even controlling over my career and films. One day for denying sex he stamped forcefully on my stomach when I was on my periods. He spit sputum on my face and forced himself on me against my will.”
“I was too traumatised to realise what was happening at that time but today I realise I was subjected to rape. He even forced sex when I was on periods was never concerned about my physical health. He was like a monster to me.”
“I was weeping inside with the fear to talk about it because of his clout in the film industry. I got to know that there are several other women who has been subjected to this trap by Vijay Babu.”
“He has recorded a nude video of mine and threatened me with its consequences and also threatened my life. I fear for his blackmail and for my safety. I am not keeping my mouth shut anymore. I can’t take this pain anymore. I strongly believe I will get justice for the sexual and physical assaults I have gone through by Vijay Babu.”
“No one should go through this pain and trauma anymore in their life. I ask all the women who had this experience from him and are silenced to speak up because together we can stop him from exploiting another girl.”
“Notably, I will take strict legal action against those who victim shamed me or attack me personally on social media or otherwise try to tarnish my image and identity,” she concluded her Facebook post.
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