The Kerala High Court on Monday reserved its order on the anticipatory bail plea filed by Malayalam rapper and artist Hiran Das Murali, popularly known as Vedan, in a rape case filed by a young doctor alleging sexual exploitation on a false promise of marriage.
During the hearing, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas made strong remarks cautioning against reliance on social media narratives in judicial proceedings.
“Unfortunately we are now guided so much by social media. Social media posts are given by anybody. Anybody’s views becomes probably the truth for sometime and if it is repeated by some other person it becomes the real truth without any verification. Unfortunately a court of law cannot base its view on that,” the Court observed.
The complainant’s counsel submitted that social media was rife with allegations of Vedan being involved in multiple relationships with women. The present case was filed by a doctor who alleged that Vedan lured her into a sexual relationship on repeated promises of marriage, which also involved financial transactions.
The First Information Report (FIR) stated that the two first connected in 2021, after which their relationship turned intimate. The complainant claimed that she was sexually exploited over a period of time before filing the complaint.
The Court questioned the delay in filing the complaint, asking the complainant’s counsel, “During that period were you suffering from depression, is that why there has been a delay in filing the complaint? Are you working now?”
On the other hand, Vedan’s counsel argued that there was nearly a two-year delay in lodging the complaint and stressed that the FIR itself showed no indication of force. He maintained that the relationship was consensual and that the complaint arose only after the parties broke up.
The complainant’s counsel also informed the Court that a fresh FIR had been registered against Vedan based on another woman’s complaint.
Earlier on August 19, the Court had granted temporary protection from arrest to Vedan. The final order on his anticipatory bail plea will be pronounced on August 27.
Advocate S. Rajeev represented Vedan, while advocate Bimla Baby appeared for the complainant.
Case: Hiran Das Murali vs State of Kerala & Anr – Available on LAWFYI.IO
