Today, the Kerala High Court has come to the rescue of popular Malayalam rapper Vedan, easing strict bail conditions that had kept him confined to the state and clearing the way for his upcoming international concert tour.
Justice C. Pratheep Kumar modified the conditions imposed by the Sessions Court while granting him anticipatory bail in a sexual harassment case. The High Court struck down the restrictions that stopped Vedan from leaving Kerala and required him to appear before the Investigating Officer every Sunday. However, it directed that he must inform the Investigating Officer in advance before travelling abroad.
With the order, Vedan can now proceed with his performance tour scheduled from November 23 to December 20, which includes shows in Dubai, Qatar, France, and Germany.
The case against the rapper stems from allegations made by a research scholar in Dalit Music, who accused Vedan of sexually harassing her in December 2022. She alleged that he invited her to his flat under the pretext of listening to music, spoke in an obscene manner, and forcibly kissed her when she tried to leave. An FIR was filed at the Ernakulam Central Police Station under Sections 294(b), 354, and 354A(1)(i) of the Indian Penal Code,1860.
Earlier, the Sessions Court had granted Vedan pre-arrest bail but imposed conditions preventing him from leaving Kerala and requiring weekly police reporting. The rapper later challenged these as overly restrictive, arguing that they hampered his professional commitments.
The High Court observed that Vedan had fully complied with the bail terms for over a month and had cooperated with the investigation. Accepting the prosecution’s suggestion, it deleted the two conditions while directing him to continue cooperating and to give prior notice before travelling abroad.
Disclaimer: This news/ article includes information received via a syndicated news feed. The original rights remain with the respective publisher.
Picture Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kerala_New_High_Court.jpg
