Chennai: Amidst tight security actor and BJP leader S Ve Shekhar appeared before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore at Allikulam on Wednesday in connection with a criminal case registered against him for sharing a Facebook post allegedly containing derogatory references to women journalists and the media.
CMM S. Malarvizhi has granted him bail in the case and adjourned the matter to July 18 for further hearing. He reached the court complex at 10.10 am and immediately reached the court call. When the matter came up for hearing, Shekhar appeared before the judge, who posted the matter for hearing at 12.45 p.m.
He remained in the court. Soon after the hearing, he was whisked away in a van by the police personnel. A large number of police personnel were posted around the complex.
On June 11, Malarvizhi issued summons to Shekhar, who remained elusive after the criminal case registered against him for sharing the abusive post. The CMM ordered the summons after Supreme Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to him in the case on June 1. The apex court also directed Shekar to approach Egmore Metropolitan Magistrate Court for regular bail as police had filed the charge sheet in the case.
The cyber crime cell registered a case based on the complaint of a city-based journalist association against Shekar for alleged offences under various sections of IPC. The FIR was registered under sections 504 (Intentional insult to provoke breach of the peace), 505(1)(c) (Intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community), 509 of IPC (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and the section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act, for harassment of women.
Earlier, Madras high court also dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in the case. However, the police had abstained from arresting the actor and even after apex court declined the bail. He was spotted in various functions with police security.
