Malayalam actors Jayasoorya, Baburaj move Kerala High Court for anticipatory bail

Malayalam film actors Jayasoorya and Baburaj have moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail after they were accused of sexual harassment [Jayasoorya v State of Kerala & anr and Baburaj v State of Kerala & anr].Allegations of sexual harassment have been made against various film personalities including actors and directors in the wake of release of Justice Hema Committee report which highlighted rampant prevalence of casting couch practices and seeking of sexual favours in the movie industry. The Justice K Hema Committee was set up by the Kerala government in 2017 following a petition by the 'Women in Cinema Collective' to study the working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry.After the release of the Hema Committee report several women had come up to speak about the unpleasant experiences that they faced in the Malayalam industry..Jayasoorya has been accused of sexual harassment by a female actor during a shooting of a film named 'Pigman' while Baburaj has been accused of sexual harassment by the staff of a resort owned by the actor.The complainant against Jayasoorya has alleged that the actor had grabbed her from behind during the shooting of the movie. He later apologised when she started crying.He has been booked by the police for offences under Section 354 (assaulting or using criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), Section 354A (1)(i) (deals with physical contact and unwelcome advances) and Section 354D (deals with stalking, which includes following or contacting a person repeatedly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).In his petition, Jayasoorya has submitted that the woman's claim is that the incident happened around 2012 and 2013. However, the shooting of the film Pigman was completed by the end of 2011.He has also pointed out the delay of 13 years in filing the complaint and has also stated that the complaint has been registered without a signed statement given by the woman artist who is the alleged victim, before the police or the magistrate. As per the plea, the police failed to verify the truth of the matter before registering a case against him, thereby affecting his dignity and his reputation in the society.The woman is only trying to gain publicity and such a frivolous complaint has been filed to threaten him, the plea states while seeking anticipatory bail in the matter..The complaint against Baburaj alleges that he first abused the victim in 2018 when was working as a manager at a resort in Munnar owned by the actor. He later allegedly abused her again in 2019.As per the first information report registered at the Adimali police station, the actor has been booked for offences under Sections 376(2)(n)(punishment for repeatedly committing rape on same woman), 354A(1)(i) and 354A(1)(ii) (demand or request sexual favours) of IPC.Like Jayasoorya, Baburaj too has maintained that he is innocent and has claimed that the relationship was consensual and that the complainant had even taken money from him. As per the plea, he has material to prove that their relationship was consensual and that they have messages between them revealing the nature of their communication and relationship. The complaint is an attempt to “encash” the situation created by the Hema Committee report, he has argued..The anticipatory bail petitions for both the actors have been filed through advocates S Rajeev, V Vinay, MS Ameer, Sarath KP, Prerith Philip Joseph, Anilkumar CR and KS Kiran Krishnan.