Court grants anticipatory bail to Edavela Babu

Kochi: In a relief for actor Edavela Babu, a court here granted him anticipatory bail on Thursday in a sexual assault case. The bail was granted by the Additional Sessions Court in Ernakulam. The order was passed by Judge Honey Varghese.

The case against Edavela Babu, according to a junior artist’s revelations, involves allegations of inappropriate behavior and misconduct. She accused Edavela Babu, the former General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), of suggesting that she could gain membership in AMMA through "adjustments" rather than paying the required fees. She also claimed that he implied compromising morally could secure her a place in the association. Furthermore, she stated that she stopped receiving movie offers after refusing to comply with these demands.

The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.

Following the allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them.