Interim relief for Mukesh as court halts his arrest till September 3 in sexual assault case

The Ernakulam District Sessions Court has stopped legal actions leading to arrest of MLA Mukesh, who has been booked for sexual assault following a complaint from an actress. 

Kochi: Actor and MLA M. Mukesh has been granted interim relief in the sexual harassment case against him as the Ernakulam District Sessions Court has issued an order preventing his arrest until September 3. This order comes in response to a bail application filed by Mukesh. The court has scheduled a detailed hearing of the bail application for that date.

Mukesh faces several charges, including:

IPC 376(1): Rape
IPC 354: Assault with intent to outrage a woman's modesty
IPC 452: House trespass
IPC 509: Words, gestures, or acts intended to insult a woman's modesty

The case against Mukesh involves accusations of rape, outraging a woman's modesty, and house trespass. Despite the proceedings moving towards possible arrest, the CPI(M) has stated that Mukesh need not resign from his MLA position. The CPI(M) has agreed in the available secretariat meeting to reorganize the film policy formulation committee and temporarily remove Mukesh from it.

There is notable internal disagreement within the CPI regarding Mukesh’s resignation. While national secretariat members Annie Raja and Assistant Secretary Prakash Babu have publicly demanded his resignation, state secretary Binoy Viswam has stressed the importance of moral integrity. The majority in the emergency executive meeting supported the call for resignation. The meeting concluded with Binoy Viswam assigned the task of communicating the party’s position to the Chief Minister and CPI(M) state secretary M. V. Govindan.