The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court granted bail to Malayalam actor-politician Mukesh in Kochi in connection with a sexual assault case. Actor Edavela Babu, who was the former General Secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes' (A.M.M.A), also received a bail in a similar case.



Both actors were named in a complaint filed by a former Malayalam actor, who also accused four other individuals, apart from Mukesh, Jayasurya, and Edavela Babu, as reported by The News Minute. However, the complaint of sexual abuse led to an FIR against Mukesh, who is also a CPI-M legislator, and Edavela Babu.


The court had earlier granted Mukesh interim relief from arrest until its final decision, which has now been extended into anticipatory bail. Edavela Babu was also granted anticipatory bail under similar conditions, as per a report on India Today.


The allegations come in the wake of the release of the Justice Hema Committee report on August 19, which investigated the conditions faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The report, made public under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, revealed serious allegations of abuse and exploitation, sparking a wave of complaints against prominent figures in the industry.


The Justice Hema Committee was formed in 2019 following the 2017 assault case involving actor Dileep. Its aim was to examine issues of sexual harassment and gender discrimination within the Malayalam film industry, and its findings have now brought renewed focus on the challenges faced by women in the industry.


Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has raised concerns over the findings of the Justice Hema Committee on the Malayalam film industry. The NCW stated that it is taking steps to obtain the full report. NCW also said that the Commission had observed with concern the findings of the Hema Committee Report.


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