The Kerala High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to actor and BJP leader Suresh in a case registered against him for allegedly touching a woman journalist inappropriately during a press interaction in Kozhikode.

A single bench of Justice Sophy Thomas directed the police to release him on bail, if he is arrested, upon executing a bond of Rs 25,000 and two solvent sureties each of like sum.

While granting anticipatory bail, the court directed Suresh Gopi to appear before the investigating officer on January 24, 2024

In his anticipatory bail application, Suresh Gopi contended that this case as well as another tax evasion case against him were registered to stir up political sentiments against him and wreak vengeance for purportedly spearheading the case of the depositors in the Karuvannur Co-operative Bank scam.

The actor submitted that the media visuals would show that the female reporter made a calculated pre-mediated plan to create a narration of sexual harassment

“The Petitioner without losing his calm has conducted himself in a very civilised manner of moving her aside creating his way by removing the restriction caused. This is later termed as sexual harassment which incident was occurred in broad light in a private hotel where the media people had gathered and confronted the petitioner without any appointment in a wrongful manner with an ill motive and malicious mind later revealed by the narrative which was created malafide out of an innocent act”, the actor states in his bail application

The incident leading to the filing of the case against Suresh Gopi took place on October 27, 2023 during a media interaction in Kozhikode. The allegation of the woman journalist was that Suresh Gopi misbehaved with her

The woman journalist filed a complaint with the Kozhikode City Commissioner and also the state women’s commission on October 27. In the complaint, she alleged that Suresh Gopi placed his hand on her shoulder twice during a media interaction. The journalist initially moved away, but Suresh Gopi again tried to put his hand on her shoulder, the complaint says. The Commissioner subsequently referred the case to the Nadakkavu police station. The police booked Suresh Gopi over the complaint lodged by the woman journalist. The police have invoked IPC section 354 A against the actor for inappropriate behaviour. The Women’s Commission has sought a detailed report from the police within fifteen days

The incident has sparked widespread controversy on social media.The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) sought an apology from the actor over the incident. Following this, Suresh Gopi issued an apology stating that he had never been disrespectful to anyone in his life on or off the stage and that he had treated the woman journalist affectionately like a father and never intended to be disrespectful. However, the journalist went ahead with legal action pointing out that Suresh Gopi’s was only an explanation and not an apology.