Kochi: Malayalam producer-actor Vijay Babu on Friday moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a rape case registered after a #MeToo revelation.
In his plea seeking to avoid arrest, Vijay Babu told the high court that the actress has levelled allegations of sexual abuse against him in an attempt to blackmail him.
He said the actress approached him seeking chances to act in movies produced by him. She was chosen for a role in one of his films following an audition, he said in the plea. Vijay Babu said even before and after working with him, she kept messaging him and got close to him knowing well that he was married and he had a family.
Vijay Babu said he was ready to produce before the investigation officers and the court the messages and pictures sent by the actress to him on WhatsApp and Instagram.
The Kochi City Police is understood to have collected crucial evidence in the sexual assault case against Vijay Babu.
The police took statements of eight persons, including those from the film industry, in connection with the case in which a debutant actor alleged that she was raped and physically tortured by the actor.
The police had earlier issued a lookout notice against him. As a result, the police can catch hold of him anytime he lands in any of the airports in the country.
Meanwhile, the police collected evidence from hotels in the city and the luxury flats in Chilavanoor where Vijay Babu resided.
City Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju said that the police had collected scientific evidence from the places where it undertook raids, and there was prima facie evidence to link the actor with the case. It was found in the police inquiry that the actor was present at these places along with the survivor.
Vijay Babu left Goa immediately after the actress gave the complaint to the police. Later, he fled to Dubai. A police team from Kochi had gone to Goa to track him.
At first, a case was registered against him based on the complaint given by the young actress. Another case was registered against him after he disclosed the victim's name through a Facebook Live.
Vijay Babu claimed in his Facebook Live that he was the real victim. He withdrew the video on Wednesday night after receiving much criticism over revealing the name of the victim.
