Kochi: Kerala High Court on Tuesday refused to stay the proceedings of the trial against actor Unni Mukundan in a case of sexual harassment. The defendant had filed a plea for a stay order in the case.
He is accused of harassing a woman scriptwriter in Kochi in 2017.
According to a report in Live Law, the trial is pending at the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court in Kochi. The dismissal of the stay was passed by Judge K Babu. In February 2023, the Kerala High Court had withdrawn the stay order in the case.
Unni Mukundan's counsel claimed that the survivor woman had signed an out-of-court settlement but the woman denied it.
The actor is represented by lawyer Saiby Jose, former president of the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA). He reportedly submitted documents claiming settlement in court. The survivor woman denied it in court.
The court called it a serious issue and heavily criticised Adv. Saiby for attempting to fabricate documents and misleading the court.
The survivor woman in September 2017 accused the actor of molesting her at his residence during a script reading. The incident took place in August 2017. Unni Mukundan alleged that it was a false charge and filed another case against her.