Offences Bailable, Kerala High Court Closes Anticipatory Bail Applications Moved By Actor Jayasoorya Accused Of Sexual Harassment
The Kerala High Court has closed the anticipatory bail applications moved by film actor Jayasoorya in connection with sexual abuse allegations made against him after publication of Justice Hema Committee Report.
Justice C S Dias noted that the offences alleged against the actor are bailable offences and closed the bail applications. “In light of above submissions, the bail applications are closed, reserving the right of the petitioner to work out his remedies in accordance to law.”
One bail application is moved apprehending arrest under Section 354 A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) and Section 354 D (stalking) of IPC. The crime was registered against him at Kootattukulam police station in Ernakulam based on the compliant that the actor attempted to outrage complianant's modesty while acting in a film together between 2012-13.
Another bail application was also moved by the actor apprehending arrest under Section 354 (outraging modesty of woman, 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 509 (word, gesture, act intended to insult modesty of woman) of the IPC. The crime was registered at the Cantonment Police Station at Thiruvananthapuram based on the complaint that the complainant was sexually harassed during a movie shooting held in the Kerala Secretariat.
The Court noted that offences alleged against the actor are bailable offences since they were alleged to be committed before 2013. It was noted that Section 354 of the IPC was amended only in 2013 to make it non-bailable. It noted that the alleged offences were committed between 2008 and 2012, i.e. before the 2013 amendment and were thus bailable.
As such, the bail applications were closed.
The plea has been moved by Advocates S Rajeev, V Vinay, M S Aneer, Sarath KP, Prerith Philip Joseph, Anil Kumar CR, K S Kiran Krishnan.
Case Number: Bail Application numbers 7683/2024 and 7688/2024
Case Title: Jayasoorya v State of Kerala
Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Ker) 589