Anticipatory bail plea by actors: Court to issue orders on Thursday

Kochi: The Ernakulam principal sessions court on Tuesday posted the anticipatory bail petitions moved by actors, including M Mukesh, MLA, to Thursday for orders.Anticipatory bail applications filed by actors Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Lawyers Congress former state president Adv V S Chandrasekharan, and Edavela Babu in various cases were considered by the court. According to sources, the hearing in the case was held from 12.30pm till 1.30pm behind closed doors. The cases against Mukesh, Chandrasekharan, and Babu have been posted for orders on Thursday.Meanwhile, the court has observed that the case against Raju was a bailable offence. The offence in the case against Raju occurred in 2009, and Section 354 charged against Raju was made non-bailable only in 2013, said sources. Sources said that the prosecution opposed the bail plea. Officers of the SIT led by AIG G Poonguzhali were present at the court.Mukesh had earlier pointed out in his bail plea that he is innocent and that the complainant had blackmailed him for money. Mukesh's counsel had claimed that they had submitted evidence supporting the bail plea in a sealed cover. Police had presented the case diary in court and submitted a report opposing the bail applications. The prosecution is opposing the bail plea and is demanding custodial interrogation.