Kozhikode: Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi will appear before the Nadakkavu police here on November 15 for questioning related to the case registered over a complaint filed by a woman journalist, alleging misbehaviour. It was on Friday, that the Nadakkavu police served a notice to the BJP leader asking him to appear for an interrogation on or before November 18. The case was registered under IPC Section 354 (A-1, 4) for sexual harassment by physically contacting a woman by unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures.
The woman journalist filed a complaint with the Kozhikode City Police Commissioner and Kerala Women's Commission on October 28.
The controversial incident took place when Suresh Gopi was speaking to the media at a hotel in Kozhikode on October 27. The former BJP Rajya Sabha member landed in trouble after a video surfaced online in which he is seen placing his hand on the shoulder of the journalist, who pushed it away twice. Facing intense criticism from various quarters, the actor tendered an apology, saying he only treated the journalist with affection. Despite his apology, criticism from various quarters pointed out that his behaviour had been inappropriate.
The woman journalist said that the incident had caused her severe mental anguish and hurt her self-esteem. She declared that she would take legal action against Suresh Gopi to prevent the recurrence of such incidents with anyone else.
She lodged the complaint along with a video said to be of the incident with the city police commissioner, who, in turn, handed it over to the local police station for further action.
(With PTI inputs)
