Kochi, Sep 10 (IANS) Malayalam rapper Hiran Das Murali, popularly known as Vedan, was arrested on Wednesday in a rape case.

Since he has already secured anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court, the arrest was only a formality, and after completing the due process of law, Vedan will walk out of the police station in the evening.

He secured anticipatory bail in a case alleging rape on the false promise of marriage.

On August 27, the Kerala High Court granted him conditional bail and instructed him to present himself before the probe team for two days, starting Tuesday.

He was let off on Tuesday after being questioned for five hours and was asked to appear again on Wednesday.

It was during the questioning on Wednesday that his arrest was recorded.

After recording the arrest, the police will take him for the customary medical checkup, and then, after bringing him back to the police station, he will be released.

The case was filed by a doctor who alleged that Vedan befriended her through Instagram in 2021, and their relationship grew over time.

She claimed that he promised to marry her and, under that assurance, engaged in physical relations on several occasions in Kozhikode, Kochi, and other places between 2021 and 2023.

The complaint also stated that the two briefly lived together and that she provided him financial support, including funds for his debut album and travel expenses.

Appearing through counsel, the complainant opposed the bail plea, contending that Vedan had similarly deceived other young women.

However, the court noted that each case must be treated independently.

Vedan’s counsel then argued that the relationship was consensual, initiated after the complainant approached him as a fan, and that the complaint was the result of personal differences.

The police had earlier issued a lookout notice for Vedan, fearing he might attempt to leave the country, as he had been absconding since the case surfaced.

Incidentally, after this case was registered, similar allegations from other women were also made, but the Court, while granting bail, clarified that allegations of other crimes against him were not under consideration in that particular petition.

Early this week, a local court here granted him anticipatory bail in a similar case filed by another woman.

–IANS

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