Kerala HC grants bail to jewellery magnate in Honey Rose harassment case

The Kerala High Court on 14 January, Tuesday, has granted bail to jewellery magnate Boby Chemmanur, who has been in jail for the past six days, in the actress harassment case.

The high court orally agreed to grant him bail after the police said they didn’t require him in further custody.

The prosecution wanted the court to put up strict conditions while granting bail. The court said a detailed order will be given at 3:30 p.m.

On 9 January, after Chemmanur was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by a lower court the day before, he approached the high court for bail. On that day, the Kerala High Court questioned the urgency of hearing his bail plea and scheduled the case for Tuesday (14 January).

The court on Tuesday admonished Chemmanur for his public statements, cautioning that such remarks could harm others and should be avoided. The court also played the visuals of his curt statements in the open court.

The controversy began when popular Malayalam actress Honey Rose accused Chemmanur of using derogatory language about her during an incident that occurred four months ago. Rose publicly disclosed the matter on social media earlier this week, revealing her decision to lodge a police complaint.

She also warned that she might extend her complaint to Chemmanur’s close associates if necessary.

Her initial post, which did not name Chemmanur, triggered widespread cyber-attacks against her.

Authorities have since arrested around two dozen people involved in these attacks. Chemmanur was taken into custody by the Kerala Police from his Wayanad resort on 8 January following Rose’s complaint. He was transported to Kochi later that evening, interrogated and formally arrested by the local police.

Honey Rose, who made her acting debut in the 2005 Malayalam film Boyy Friennd, gained widespread recognition with the 2012 film Trivandrum Lodge. She is a prominent figure in the entertainment industry and is often seen in public events.

Chemmanur, the chairman of the Chemmanur International Group, is a well-known businessman and philanthropist.

He garnered attention for bringing the late football legend Diego Maradona to Kerala in 2012 and organising a record-breaking 812 km marathon in 2014 to promote blood donation.

Even though the current allegations have cast a shadow over Chemmanur’s reputation, which was built over decades of high-profile ventures and charitable efforts, his business has remained unaffected and new showrooms are being opened in a few places.