(Trigger warning: mention of sexual assault)
The Kerala High Court has asked Malayalam actor-producer Vijay Babu to produce his return tickets to India and the Court will only then consider his anticipatory bail in the sexual assault case registered against him.
Vijay had assured that he would appear before the court whenever he was called and urged it to consider his plea. His lawyers also claimed that the actor is ready to appear before the investigating officers and asked the court to consider the plea on Thursday (26 May) or Friday.
Ernakulam South Police had registered a case against Vijay after a female colleague had accused him of sexual assault. Another case was registered against him for naming the survivor on his Facebook Live, ANI reported.
Vijay’s plea stated, “Now the attempt of the de facto complainant is to blackmail the petitioner by simply filing the complaint alleging that the petitioner forcefully sexually assaulted her,” according to PTI.
He has claimed that he is innocent and has alleged that the authorities are trying to make him a ‘scapegoat for the purpose of the media’. In his plea, Vijay has also alleged that the case has been filed against him to blackmail him. Even in his Facebook Live, he had denied all the allegations against him and had claimed that he is scripting a ‘new chapter in #MeToo'. Vijay has been absconding since the allegations surfaced.
The survivor, in her statement, accused Vijay of rape and physical assault. She also alleged that he would force her to ‘drink alcohol or take happy pills’.
(With inputs from ANI)
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