Kerala High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Rapper Vedan In Rape Case

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to rapper Hirandas Murali, known as Vedan, in a rape case, saying that while the charges against him were serious, his custodial interrogation was not necessary.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas granted the relief to the rapper who was accused by a lady doctor of entering into a sexual relationship with her on the promise of marriage and later withdrawing from the same.

She has also accused him of sexually harassing her multiple times between 2021 and 2023.

The High Court said "it is prima facie discernible" that the acquaintance between the rapper and the woman commenced in the year 2021 at her instance and continued till March 2023, when they broke up.

"There were numerous occasions when they stayed together and had physical relationships.... In such circumstances, denying anticipatory bail to the petitioner (Vedan) would result in serious prejudice," it said.

The court further said that if break-up of a relationship between consenting couples lead to criminal proceedings and arrest, "it will have the tendency to destroy the future of an individual".

It said that the proposition assumes significance as in the instant case, there were prima facie materials to assume that the relationship between the rapper and the woman was consensual all along and "was between persons who had the ability to comprehend the nature of the act and its consequences".

It further said that labelling a physical intimacy as rape after a relationship ceases to exist was "illogical and harsh".

While granting the relief to Vedan, the court directed that he appear before the investigating officer (IO) on September 9 and 10 from 10 am to 5 pm for questioning.

"If after interrogation, the Investigating Officer proposes to arrest the petitioner, then, he shall be released on bail on his executing a bond for Rs1,00,000 with two solvent sureties each for the like sum before the Investigating Officer," the court said.

It further directed Vedan to appear before the IO as and when required, cooperate with the probe, not intimidate or influence witnesses, not tamper with evidence and not commit any similar offences while on bail.

"The petitioner shall not leave India without the permission of the court having jurisdiction," the High Court added.

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