Actor Suresh Gopi Moves Kerala High Court Seeking Anticipatory Bail In Case Over Alleged Misbehaviour With Female Reporter

Hearing his plea, Justice C. Pratheep Kumar sought instructions in the matter and posted the bail plea for the first week of January 2024. 

In his plea, Gopi argues that as he was proceeding to his hotel room, media persons surrounded and restrained his movement in the hotel lobby. He was only trying to remove the obstruction caused by the media persons which included the female reporter also. He averred that he had not used any criminal force or assault or even caused annoyance to the female reporter.

The actor submitted that the media visuals would show that the female reporter made a calculated pre-mediated plan to create a narration of sexual harassment.

“The Petitioner without losing his cam has conducted himself in a very civilised manner of moving her aside creating his way by removing the restriction caused. This is later termed as sexual harassment which incident was occurred in broad light in a private hotel where the media people had gathered and confronted the Petitioner without any appointment in a wrongful manner with an ill motive and malicious mind later revealed by the narrative which was created malafide out of an innocent act”, the bail application stated.

Further, the actor submitted that he appeared before the investigating officer at the Nadakavu police station in Kozhikode and gave his statement in writing. The actor added that since the ingredients of sexual harassment were not attracted, the charges were altered with malafide motive to prosecute him under Section 354 IPC.

“The Petitioner has not served with any notice relating to alteration of section in the FIR as Section 354 of Indian Penal Code has not been obtained so far and it is not in public domain and also not produced before the concerned trial court also. It is informed from police that the record has been prepared charging petitioner under Section 354 of Indian Penal Code and the non-production of the same before the concerned trial court is to take down the Petitioner by surprise”, the bail application stated.

The actor added that this was done to tarnish his public image as part of a political motive by the female reporter who was a CPM party member. He added that this was done out of political vendetta since there was a strong rumour that he would be the upcoming BJP candidate from Thrissur Constituency.

The actor has also submitted that the allegations against him were serious and were made up to insult, humiliate and tarnish his public image. He added that his daughter's wedding will be taking place in January and that he has many upcoming political commitments. He also averred that he was ready to cooperate with the investigation and that custodial interrogation was not necessary.

The petitioner was represented by Advocates B N Shivsankar, Tinu T Joseph, Vishnu B Kurup

Case title: Suresh Gopi V State Of Kerala

Case number: Bail Appl. 11627/ 2023