Boby Chemmanur taken into custody for obscene comment on actor Honey Rose

Businessman Boby Chemmanur, who made obscene comments on actor Honey Rose, was taken into custody by the Kerala police on Wednesday, January 8. The actor filed a complaint against Boby on January 7, accusing him of continuous obscene abuse, at the Ernakulam Central Police Station. 

In an Instagram post addressing Boby Chemmanur, Honey Rose stated, “There will be complaints against your associates also soon, who seem to share your mental state. You may believe in the power of your money, but I believe in the strength of the judicial system of India.”

According to reports, Boby Chemmanur was taken into custody from his property in Wayanad by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and will be brought to Kochi. A case has been filed under Section 75(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for making sexually inappropriate remarks as a form of sexual harassment, as well as under Section 67 of the IT Act for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

Speaking to Reporter TV, Honey Rose expressed relief and said that she was assured of action by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a meeting. “I am realising only now that a lot of people were frustrated over the issue. Those calling me to congratulate me are saying that I should have done this earlier,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on January 6 ruled that commenting on a woman’s body can amount to sexual harassment, dismissing a petition seeking to quash criminal proceedings against a man accused of such behavior. Justice A Badharudeen, in his order, observed that the allegations made by the complainant prima facie established a case under the relevant legal provisions.

The petition was filed by a former employee of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) against a complaint lodged by a senior assistant at the same organisation. According to the woman’s 2017 police complaint, the accused had been making suggestive voice calls and sending inappropriate text messages to her since 2013.

The man was charged under Sections 354A(1)(iv) and 509 of the IPC, which address sexually colored remarks and actions insulting a woman's modesty, respectively, and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act, which penalises acts causing annoyance or nuisance.

In his plea, the accused contended that a mere reference to a person as ‘fine body structure’ could not be considered a sexually colored remark under these provisions. However, the court dismissed this argument, asserting that the prosecution’s case provided sufficient grounds to establish the alleged offenses.