Kerala High Court Stays Proceedings Against Actor Edavela Babu In Sexual Harassment Case

The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted an interim stay on further proceedings in a sexual harassment case against Malayalam movie actor and former General Secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Edavela Babu.

The order was passed by Justice A. Badharudeen in a case filed by the petitioner to quash the FIR lodged at the Nadakkavu Police Station under Sections 354A(1)(ii) (demand or request of sexual favours), 354A(1)(iv) (making sexually colored remarks) and 509 (acts, words or gestures intended to insult a women's modesty) of Indian Penal Code..

The complainant, a woman, alleged that Babu sought sexual favours from her for getting membership in AMMA. As per her complaint, she contacted Babu through phone for getting membership of AMMA and for asking to get some opportunities in movies. She claimed that when she said that she can afford only Rs. 1.5 lakhs and did not have the full Rs. 2 Lakh to pay for the membership, Babu told her that the money can be adjusted if she can “adjust”.

Babu claims that the complaint is false and concocted. He submitted that certain procedure has to be followed to grant membership of the Association and he cannot unilaterally take a decision in this regard. Further, he submitted that the membership fee was only Rs. 1 Lakh and therefore the complainant had made false allegations against him by saying that he demanded Rs. 2 Lakh for AMMA membership.