The police will file a chargesheet against actor and politician Suresh Gopi, who has been booked for alleged misbehaviour with a woman journalist, before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-IV in five days. The police officers who led the investigation said there will be no changes in the IPC section already invoked against him based on the complaint.
It was on October 27 that the incident leading to the legal action took place at a hotel in Kozhikode city during a media interaction. Based on the complaint, the actor was charged under section 354 A (punishment for physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) the following day.
On November 15, he was interrogated for about two hours at the Nadakkavu police station and later allowed to go on condition that he should appear before the investigating officer or the court upon further notice. He was also issued a fresh notice under section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to this effect.
Police sources said that arrest would not be required if the person who received such notice in cases where the punishment would be less than seven years was complying with the mentioned conditions. They also declined to respond to allegations that there were political pressures to avoid the arrest of the actor.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who came in support of Mr. Gopi said the offence charged under section 354 A of the IPC would not stand in the court as it was invoked as part of a political conspiracy. The actor was allowed to go as the investigation team was convinced of the reality after verifying the facts, they claimed.
