CPI(M) MLA Mukesh booked for rape, gets temporary relief from arrest

In a scandal that has sent shockwaves through the Malayalam film industry, actor and CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, along with three other prominent actors, has been booked in cases of rape and sexual assault.

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The allegations have ignited a fierce political debate in Kerala, with opposition parties and a section of the ruling Left demanding Mukesh's resignation from his position as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

Mukesh, who is also a sitting MLA, found himself at the centre of a storm when a female actor accused him and several others of sexual misconduct in a detailed complaint. The complainant, who has appeared in a few films, alleged that she was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by Mukesh and three other actors-Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu.

The accusations also extended to individuals associated with the film production industry, including a lawyer and a production controller.

The controversy intensified after the complainant shared her ordeal in a Facebook post, detailing the abuse she allegedly suffered. "I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of Mukesh, Maniyan Pilla Raju, Idavela Babu, Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), adv Chandrasekaran, production controller Noble, and Vichu in the Malayalam film industry,” she wrote. She further claimed that the abuse occurred in 2013 while she was working on a project and that it had become unbearable despite her attempts to continue working.