Misbehavior with Woman Journalist: Actor-Politician Suresh Gopi Moves Kerala HC

A month after being questioned by the Kerala Police in connection with a complaint by a woman journalist regarding an alleged misbehavior incident, actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi has filed an anticipatory bail application in the Kerala High Court. The High Court sought the government’s consent in the petition.

In November, Suresh Gopi, accompanied by BJP leaders, appeared at the Nadakkav police station in Kozhikode for questioning. Gopi, a BJP leader and former Member of Parliament of the Rajya Sabha, is involved in the case.

On October 28, the Kerala Police registered a case against Suresh Gopi under section 354A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly misbehaving with a woman journalist during an interaction with reporters in Kozhikode. Section 354A of the IPC pertains to assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, with a punishment ranging from one to five years of imprisonment and a fine.

A video of the incident purportedly shows Gopi responding to a question from the journalist with the term ‘Mole’ (daughter) and placing his hand on her shoulder. The journalist pushes away his hand in response to the actor’s repeated actions. Subsequently, Gopi issued an apology on social media, explaining that he intended to treat the journalist with affection and expressing regret if she felt offended.

In his Facebook post, the actor-turned-politician stated, “If she felt bad about my behavior, her feelings should be respected. I tender an apology towards her if she had felt bad about my behavior. Sorry…” However, the journalist remarked that the apology seemed more like an “explanation” than a genuine apology.