Sathyabhama appears before special court in caste abuse case

Thiruvananthapuram: Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, accused of making a derogatory statement against dancer and actor RLV Ramakrishnan, appeared before a special court here on Saturday.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court had rejected her anticipatory bail plea and instructed her to surrender before the SC/ST Court in Nedumangad. She is booked under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case has been registered over a complaint received by Chalakkudy Police, which was later handed over to Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment Police. 

High Court Justice K. Babu ruled that, prima facie, the prosecution has successfully established that the accused had committed caste-based abuse against the complainant. 

Even though the court dismissed her anticipatory bail plea, Justice Babu stated that since the accused is a woman, there is no need to interrogate her in custody. The court then instructed the petitioner to surrender before the Nedumangad Special Court within a week. The High Court also directed that any bail application filed by her be disposed of on the same day.

The Case

The controversy began on March 21, 2024, when Sathyabhama made a controversial statement during an interview with a YouTuber, indirectly targeting Ramakrishnan without explicitly naming him. The video of the interview went viral on social media, leading to widespread speculation that her remarks were directed towards Ramakrishnan.

In the purported interview, Sathyabhama said, "The person who performs Mohiniyattam should be 'Mohini' (enchanting). He has the colour of a crow. This is an art form that requires a stance that keeps the legs wide apart. There is nothing more repulsive than a man who performs with his legs wide apart in this manner. In my opinion, men should perform Mohiniyattam only if they are good-looking...But his looks are unbearable."

Ramakrishnan, the brother of the late actor Kalabhavan Mani, reacted to Sathyabhama’s comments in a Facebook post. He wrote, “It is because of such individuals that artists from scheduled castes struggle to thrive in the field of dance. Those with such malicious mindsets must face legal consequences.”