The Kerala government has decided not to appeal the court’s decision granting anticipatory bail to Kollam MLA Mukesh in a rape case, despite initial plans to challenge the ruling in the High Court. This unexpected move came after the state’s Home Department intervened, halting the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) preparation of an appeal petition. The SIT argued that the anticipatory bail could hinder the ongoing investigation and felt an appeal was necessary. Critics have accused the government of shielding Mukesh by blocking the appeal.
Mukesh and actor Edavela Babu were granted anticipatory bail by the Ernakulam Sessions Court on September 5, with conditions including that Mukesh must remain in Kerala and cooperate with the investigation. Mukesh has denied the rape allegations, claiming the complaint made by an actress from Aluva is false and was filed with ulterior motives 15 years after the alleged incident. He also accused the actress of blackmail and extortion attempts. Despite the allegations, Mukesh’s legal team expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, viewing it as the first step towards proving his innocence.
The case has broader implications as actor Edavela Babu faces similar accusations related to offering the actress membership in the film association “AMMA” in exchange for sexual favors. Meanwhile, actor Siddique’s anticipatory bail plea in the same case has been postponed until September 13, with the High Court asking for the government’s response by that date. The government’s decision not to appeal Mukesh’s bail has led to concerns about the potential outcome in other related cases.
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