The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the State to present its stance on a petition filed by rapper Vedan seeking changes to two bail conditions imposed by the Sessions Court in connection with a sexual harassment case.

Justice C Pratheep Kumar granted the public prosecutor additional time to obtain instructions and scheduled the case for hearing next week.

According to the prosecution, in December 2022, the petitioner, identified as Hirandas, allegedly invited the complainant, a research scholar, to his apartment under the pretext of listening to music. Once inside, he reportedly made sexually explicit remarks and attempted to harass her. When she tried to flee, he allegedly grabbed and kissed her

An FIR was registered at the Ernakulam Central Police Station under Sections 294(b) (obscene acts and songs), 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and 354A(1)(i) (sexual harassment) of the IPC. The Sessions Court later granted him anticipatory bail with certain restrictions.

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Among them, condition no. 5 restricts the petitioner from leaving Kerala without prior court approval, while condition no. 3 mandates his presence before the investigating officer every Sunday between 10.00 am and 11.00 am. Vedan had earlier moved the Sessions Court to lift condition no. 5, but the court only allowed him to travel outside Kerala between September 23 and October 23.

He has now approached the High Court seeking modification of both conditions 3 and 5, submitting a schedule of international performances in Colombo, Dubai, Qatar, France, and Germany from this month through December. “It is submitted that stage shows are the only show of livelihood of the petitioner..the condition no. 3 and condition no 5 are onerous in the present facts and circumstances of the case. Imposition of such conditions is affecting the right to livelihood of the petitioner and the deletion of such condition in no way affects the investigation or cause any prejudice to any person,” the plea states.
(With LiveLaw Inputs)

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