The Kerala police has filed a case against actor-politician Suresh Gopi for allegedly misbehaving with a woman journalist during a recent media interaction in Kozhikode.
The case was filed by Nadakkavu police under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 354 A, under which the punishment is imprisonment up to two years, a fine, or both.
The woman journalist lodged a complaint with police on Saturday even as Gopi, a former Rajya Sabha MP of the Bharatiya Janata Party, tendered an apology, saying he had only treated her with affection.
"Whatever she feels about it should be respected. I tender an apology if she felt bad or suffered any mental stress anyway... Sorry," the actor said in a Facebook post, adding that he had never been disrespectful to anyone in his life on or off the stage.
The woman, however, said Gopi’s post seemed to be an “explanation” rather than an “apology” and that she would go ahead with the legal procedures against him.
A purported video of the incident showed Gopi, a national award-winning actor, placing his hand on the shoulder of the woman reporter, while responding to a question from her.
The journalist is seen moving back and when she asks a second question, the actor again places his hand on her shoulder and the journalist is seen pushing it away.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) condemned Gopi’s behaviour with the reporter and demanded that he tender an unconditional apology.
“This is an insult to all women who have taken up this profession," said a statement issued by KUWJ president M.V. Vineetha and general secretary R. Kiran Babu.
The Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the ruling CPI (M), and the Network of Women in Media also condemned Gopi’s behaviour with the journalist.
