Malayalam rapper Vedan.
Credit: Instagram /@rollingstonein
Thiruvananthapuram: A police case has been registered against Kerala's popular rapper Hirandas Murali alias 'Vedan' in Kochi.
The case was registered at the Thrikkakkara police station in Kochi on Wednesday on the basis of a woman's complaint that the rapper sexually assaulted her several times between 2021 and 2023 by promising to marry and later backed out.
Kochi city police commissioner Putta Vimaladitya told reporters that a case was filed at the Thrikkakara police station on the basis of the complaint.
Preliminary verification of the allegations, including the financial transactions between the complainant and the accused, was under investigation. Further steps would be taken in the due course, he said.
The fresh development could put the ruling CPM and the opposition Congress in Kerala in a tight spot as many party leaders had strongly backed him citing his dalit politics when he was arrested in April on charges of possessing drugs and was also held for allegedly possessing leopard teeth.
The Kerala government even invited him to perform at government functions, which drew huge crowds.
The BJP and various Sangh Parivar outfits were taking a stand against the rapper.
A BJP leader had sought a NIA probe against the rapper for alleged defamatory and divisive contents against the Prime Minister in his song titled 'Voice of voiceless' that was released around five years back.