Kerala Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Former State Committee President Of Indian Lawyers' Congress In Rape Case

The Ernakulam Sessions Court has granted anticipatory bail to Advocate V. S. Chandrasekharan in a rape case. The order was passed by the Court on the 10th of September. Chandrasekharan is the former State President of the Indian Lawyers Congress in Kerala and former Chairman of the legal aid committee of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). He had resigned from these posts after the rape allegation was raised against him.It is alleged that Chandrasekharan (2nd accused) told the complainant, a Malayalam actress, that he was taking her to a flat in Ernakulam to meet a person who was interested in producing a film. The actress alleged that she was raped in the flat by his alleged accomplice, the 1st accused. The alleged incident happened in 2011.The actress came out with the allegation after the Government released a redacted version of Justice Hema Committee Report. The report was released after the High Court confirmed the decision of the State Information Commission to release a redacted version of the report. The report studied many issues in the Malayalam film industry and mentioned instances of sexual abuse in the industry. Many persons had come out with their stories of abuse after the report was released. The complainant in this case also gave interviews about the alleged incident after the release of the report.The petitioner is arraigned as the 2nd accused in the FIR. Offences under Sections 376 (rape) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code are registered against the petitioner.The petitioner sought anticipatory bail by saying that the allegations against him were false. He said that the complainant had told different stories before the media and in the police complaint. It was alleged that she had told the media that the petitioner took her to a resort on the pretext of seeing a location and that he took her to a room in the resort where he introduced her to another person saying that they were co-producing a film. It is further stated that she'd said that the petitioner left her in the room and the said co-producer tried to misbehave with her but stopped when she objected to his advances.The petitioner further stated that he and the complainant are neighbours and she is well acquainted with him and his family. If anything had happened, she would have reacted and brought up the matter to him and his family. He alleged that the complaints were made at the instance of rivals in his profession and politics.The petition was moved by Advocate C. S. ManuCase Title: V. S. Chandrasekharan v State of Kerala

Kerala Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Former State Committee President Of Indian Lawyers' Congress In Rape Case

Manju Elsa Isac

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