Sexual assault case: Actor-producer Vijay Babu appears before probe officials for 3rd day

Kochi, Jun 29: Actor-producer Vijay Babu appeared before the probe officials for third consecutive day in the Ernakulam Town South police station for interrogation in connection with sexual assault case.

The Kerala High Court had earlier granted him anticipatory bail in the case and directed the actor to cooperate with the investigation from June 27 to July 3 between 9 am and 6 pm during the course of which he would be deemed to be under custody. He was also directed to refrain from tampering with the probe and to stop interaction through or with any social or other media.

While granting bail to Babu, the high court had said he shall be released on bail on his executing a bond of Rs 5 lakh along with two sureties of the same amount.

Police said Babu would be taken to the spots where the alleged crime was committed by him for gathering evidence during this period.

The woman, who appeared in movies produced by Babu's production house, lodged a complaint with the police on April 22 and detailed through a Facebook post the physical assault and sexual exploitation she had allegedly suffered at the hands of the producer-actor for the past one-and-half months.

The woman's lawyer, opposing Babu's plea, had argued before the court that the actor-producer had allegedly "misused and abused the trust reposed on him by her." It was also argued on her behalf that being a novice artist, her objections were easily subdued and that she was allegedly subjected to repeated sexual assaults by him.

Babu had claimed that he was innocent and was "highly aggrieved" by the one-sided approach of the authorities to make him a "scapegoat for the purpose of news and the media."