Supreme Court upholds Kerala High Court order granting anticipatory bail to Malayalam actor Vijay Babu in rape case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Kerala High Court order granting anticipatory bail to Malayalam cine actor Vijay Babu who has been booked in a rape case..The vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari, however, ordered that that bar on police from interrogating the accused-actor after July 3 was unwarranted and quashed the same."We decline to interfere with Kerala HC order. Except that we modify the part on interrogation. we make it clear that the petitioner may be interrogated beyond July 3, 2022, if necessary," the Court ordered.The Court was hearing pleas by the State of Kerala and the survivor challenging the Kerala High Court order granting anticipatory bail to the accused-actor..The Kerala High Court had on June 22 granted anticipatory bail to Babu in a rape case registered against him after an actress accused him of sexually exploiting her.Babu who was absconding had done a Facebook Live from Dubai refuting the allegations of rape. He had then moved the High Court for anticipatory bail which was allowed.The plea before the top court said that the case raises an important issue of whether an accused, who is absconding, can be granted anticipatory bail on the ground that it will prompt him to come out of hiding and join investigation..The plea also contended that the bail order paves the way for all rich and influential persons accused of serious offences to have their custodial interrogation be made indispensable leading to a travesty of justice.The bail needs to be set aside so the police can carry a free and fair probe in the matter, the plea said.Moreover, the accused using his influence in the higher echelons of the industry has pressured the survivor against pursuing the case, it was submitted..The accused may tamper evidence and influence witnesses and is known to develop sexual relations with women in distress as the prosecution had also contended, the plea alleged.