High Court accepts Boby Chemmanur's apology for jail stunt

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday accepted an apology from businessman Boby Chemmanur for his dramatic refusal to leave prison despite being granted bail. His counsel conveyed the apology after the court sharply criticised his actions.

Chemmanur, accused in a sexual harassment case filed by actor Honey Rose, was granted bail on Tuesday. However, instead of exiting the Kakkanad district jail, he declared solidarity with remand prisoners facing challenges in securing their release, insisting he would stay until their issues were resolved.

Justice PV Kunhikrishnan strongly condemned Chemmanur's actions, calling it a "drama" and emphasising that the court, not Chemmanur, is responsible for addressing prisoners' concerns. The coqurt noted that his bail order had been published on the High Court website at 4:08 pm on Tuesday and instructed his counsel to prevent further theatrics.
In response, Chemmanur’s counsel submitted an explanation and an apology, which the court accepted.

Meanwhile, addressing the media on Wednesday, Chemmanur claimed his delayed release was due to a technical issue that prevented his team from submitting the bail order on time. Jail authorities confirmed that the release could not be processed due to a lapse in the stipulated timeframe.

The Kerala High Court had earlier admonished Chemmanur for public statements that could potentially harm others, advising him to exercise caution. During the hearing, the court reviewed visuals of his statements and granted bail after police confirmed that his continued custody was unnecessary.

The case stems from allegations made by popular Malayalam actor Honey Rose, who accused Chemmanur of using sexually coloured remarks aimed at her during an incident four months ago. Rose disclosed the matter on social media, prompting a surge of cyberattacks against her. She later lodged a police complaint, which led to Chemmanur’s arrest on January 8 at his Wayanad resort. The incident has since seen authorities arrest nearly two dozen individuals involved in online abuse directed at Rose.