Mala Parvathy, Vijayh Babu There is never a dull moment in the ego-filled Malayalam actors' body Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). On Monday, Mala Parvathy, a member of the internal complaint's committee (ICC) of AMMA, quit from the ICC, upset with the decision to accept actor and producer Vijay Babu's letter that he wished to temporarily step down from the committee after facing rape charges. Vijay Babu Sexual Assault Case: Another Woman Accuses the Malayalam Actor-Producer With Harassment Charges.

Paravathy, presently very active in the Malayalam film industry with numerous character roles, told the media here that she is quitting the ICC committee. "The ICC is an autonomous body and it does not come under the executive committee of the AMMA. We had given a recommendation after the ICC meeting on April 27 that as an FIR has been registered against Babu he should be dropped from the AMMA executive committee."

"But what we came to know from the press release of AMMA that came out on Sunday was that based on the letter from Babu, he wishes to step down and has been accepted. We had recommended for action that he be dropped, but this was not considered and action came based on his letter and this is not fair, so I am quitting from the ICC. I will not resign from AMMA because it's doing a lot of humanitarian activities for the welfare and upliftment of the actors," said Paravathy.

There are five members in the ICC committee and includes Swetha Menon, Cuckoo Parameshweran, Rachna and an advocate from outside of AMMA, Anegha. Vijay Babu Sexual Assault Case: #MeToo Survivor’s FB Post Detailing Her Trauma From Rape, Physical Violence by Actor-Producer Goes Viral.

"I am given to understand Swetha and Cuckoo might also quit," added Parvathy. Babu, who is facing rape charges registered by the Kerala police, has allegedly fled to Dubai and the probe authorities are mulling steps to see if his passport can be cancelled, to get his custody to interrogate him. The police suspect that he is presently in the UAE.

Meanwhile, the High Court after hearing his anticipatory bail plea on Friday, posted the case to be heard after the summer recess. Last week , the police issued a lookout notice for the actor in connection with the rape case, which means if he lands at any port of entry in the country, he could be arrested.

In his anticipatory bail petition, Babu had claimed that the actress was trying to blackmail him. The actor said he has all the evidence, including chat messages between him and the complainant, to prove his innocence and is ready to submit it before the court too.

Babu, according to the police, is on the run after a female actor colleague, hailing from Kozhikode, filed a complaint in Ernakulam on April 22 that she was raped and beaten up by him a few times at a flat in Kochi. Soon after the news surfaced, Babu appeared live on his social media handle last Wednesday, claiming that he was the "real victim" in this case, adding that he would take appropriate legal steps against the complainant, whom he also named.

The police apart from her complaint, have registered a second case against the actor for disclosing the name of the complainant. The victim also alleged that the actor got her intoxicated before sexually abusing her.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 02, 2022 03:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).