New Delhi: Malayalam actor and producer Vijay Babu has been arrested in an alleged sexual assault case on Monday after the bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas had earlier directed the actor to surrender on Monday (June 27) at 9 AM in the June 22 ruling while granting the actor anticipatory bail.
The Kerala High Court had earlier granted the actor bail and asked him to surrender before the investigation officer on June 27 for interrogation. The actor has been reportedly granted station bail but will have to cooperate with the team investigating the case. The HC while granting bail ordered that if the police wanted to arrest him, he should be released on bail executing a Rs 5 lakh bond along with two sureties.
However, another registration of arrest is expected to follow based on the proceedings in the case for revealing the actress' name on social media.
Also read | Kerala HC Grants Anticipatory Bail To Actor-Producer Vijay Babu In Sex Assault Case
A debutant Malayalam actress whose first appearance on screen was with Vijay Babu registered a rape case in the last week of April accusing him of sexually assaulting her several times. In her complaint, she also said that Vijay has forced her to take drugs. Hours after the case was filed, Vijay revealed the name of the actress on social media and claimed that he was the real victim. The police then filed another case against the actor-producer for revealing the complainant's name on social media.
As reported earlier by ABP Live, Babu fled the country fearing arrest after the police filed a case. He returned to Kochi only after the court granted him protection from arrest. But the court had earlier rejected bail plea in the second case for revealing the actress' identity on social media.
Also read | Absconding Actor-Producer Vijay Babu Lands In Kochi, Court To Hear His Petition On Thursday