Kerala police rejects charges of leakage of case details to Vijay Babu

The Kerala police on Saturday dismissed allegations that Malayalam producer-actor Vijay Babu, who has been accused of sexually assaulting an actress, got the details of the case leaked, which helped him flee the country, saying that the FIR was not a secret document.

Addressing reporters here, Kochi police Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam said there was no delay in launching the probe as they had received the complaint of the survivor on April 22 evening and the FIR was registered the same night. A team of police personnel had been dispatched soon after that to trace the accused and learnt that he was put up in Goa, but on February 24, Babu took steps to leave the country, he said.

There was no evidence to prove that police had leaked him the information, the official said adding that several people were aware of the matter and so there were chances of him getting tip-off from several other channels. There was nothing wrong for the accused to know that a case had been registered against him, he added.

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"Mainly, there are two cases against him. There is nothing confidential in these cases that it should be leaked or it should not be leaked. FIR is a public document. Only the victim's name should not be leaked...we have taken utmost care regarding that," Nagaraju said.

Recalling that the survivor was really afraid to lodge the complaint, he said they had provided her maximum care and confidence ensuring that her identity would not be disclosed. To a query, the police commissioner said though the High Court was considering Babu's anticipatory bail plea, in which he has claimed that the rape case filed against him was an attempt to blackmail him, the court had not given any instruction not to arrest him.

"So, we can continue with the investigation. If he is available, we will arrest him... If he is not, we will take steps to make him available," he said.

If necessary, his passport could be cancelled but it would all depend on his response, the official said adding that if Babu surrenders before the law, there is no need for them to take such steps. A notice had already been served at his home, formally informing that there is a case against him and he should turn himself in, he added.

"We are making all efforts to make sure that he does not influence the witnesses. If he is trying to influence any witness, we will submit it before the court." On a fresh molestation charge levelled by another woman against Vijay Babu through the social media on Friday, he said her identity was yet to be confirmed and they were ready to register the case if they get a formal complaint.

The female actor, who appeared in movies produced by Vijay Babu's production house, filed a complaint with the police on April 22 and detailed through a Facebook after the physical assault and sexual exploitation she had allegedly suffered at the hands of the producer-actor for the past one-and-a-half months.

Babu, who is untraceable since the police launched the probe, appeared in a Facebook live session on Tuesday night and claimed innocence, saying he is the "real victim."

As the producer, who is also the founder of the production company Friday Film House, disclosed the survivor's name and identity, which is an offence, another case was also filed against him. Babu, on Friday, moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the actress rape case.

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