Actress Lakshmi Menon under probe in Kochi IT worker abduction case, police confirm ongoing investigation

New Delhi (India) August 27: An IT specialist claims that award-winning Malayalam actress Lakshmi Menon is involved in an attempted kidnapping and assault in Kochi. This puts the actress in legal trouble.

Police statement on Lakshmi Menon’s alleged role in abduction

Kochi City Police Commissioner Putta Wimaladitya says that the actress has been avoiding arrest ever since the incident. Three of the four individuals charged have already been taken into custody. The actress's involvement is the subject of a thorough investigation.

He also adds that although Lakshmi is also one of the accused, her name has not yet been included in the First Information Report (FIR).

The commissioner said, “An argument broke out at a bar. Later, the accused blocked the vehicle of a group of IT employees near the North Bridge in Ernakulam. They then abducted one of them. Following a complaint from another member of the group, the North Police registered a case." 

FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

The four individuals are facing charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita's sections 3(5) (common intention), 140(2) (kidnapping or abduction), 126 (wrongful restraint), 296 (obscene acts and songs), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).

Three suspects in custody, actress seeks anticipatory bail

According to police, Menon filed a request for anticipatory bail in the Kerala High Court. She was granted protection from arrest on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the other three accused were taken into custody. They were placed under judicial custody on Tuesday.

Incident Timeline

In his complaint, Aliyar Shah Saleem claims that two groups got into a fight at a bar in the southern city. The group included Menon, Mithun, Aneesh and another female friend. Later, when the complainant and his friends tried to get away, the accused's car allegedly followed them.

The complainant's car was stopped at approximately 11:45 p.m., close to the North Railway overbridge. He was dragged out by force. The FIR claims that after being pressured into the accused's car, the complainant was beaten on the face and body. 

Later, he was dropped off at the intersection of Aluva and Paravur. Police opened an investigation and filed a case based on his statement. 

Lakshmi Menon’s film career

Actress Lakshmi Menon was born on May 19, 1996. She is recognized for her roles in Tamil films. She made her Tamil debut as the lead in Sundara Pandian (2012). 

Lakshmi Menon is currently being investigated in relation to the abduction case, despite her well-known and successful film career.