Kochi: The Kerala High Court issued a temporary stay order on Thursday in the case against actor and former A.M.M.A general secretary Edavela Babu. The case was filed with the Nadakkavu Police following allegations made by a junior artist.
According to the cine artist, Babu asked her to "adjust" in order to secure film roles and demanded a payment of Rs 2 lakh for A.M.M.A membership. She further alleged that he offered to waive the fee if she complied with his request.
The junior artist claimed that her refusal led to missed opportunities in the film industry. The case is scheduled for review on November 18, with a court notice set to be issued to the junior artist shortly. Edavela Babu has approached the court to seek dismissal of the case.
Additional accusations have been levelled against director Harikumar and actor Sudheesh. This case is part of a larger wave of allegations following the release of the Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread harassment and exploitation of women within the Malayalam film industry.
In response to the findings, the state government constituted a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on August 25 to investigate the allegations.