The Kerala High Court on Friday, 15 July, granted bail to Malayalam actor Sreejith Ravi on the condition that his family ensures he gets medical help for a 'behavioural personality disorder' whose symptom or sign is exhibitionism, The News Minute reported.
The 46-year-old actor was arrested in Thrissur on 7 July and booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, including Section 11(1) (sexual harassment, makes any gesture or exhibits objects) and 12 (sexual harassment of child), for allegedly flashing his genitals at two children on 4 July.
Sreejith had submitted in his bail application that he was suffering from the ‘behavioural personality disorder’, and has been under treatment since 2016.
“The medical certificate issued by a Consultant Neuropsychiatrist dated 07.07.2022 reveals that petitioner is suffering from a behavioural personality disorder in which exhibitionism is a symptom/ sign," Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas said in his order.
"Though petitioner had undergone psychotherapy till 2019, he is out of review since 2020. The medical certificate reveals that the petitioner needs medical attention. The parents and the spouse of the petitioner have expressed their willingness to do the needful. They were in fact providing him with the required treatment. However, with the onset of COVID-19, there has been a lapse as can be understood from the medical certificate,” it further read.
The high court directed his wife and father, veteran actor T G Ravi, to file an affidavit before the magistrate court affirming their willingness to provide him proper treatment. Further, it said, that his bail would stand cancelled if he is found engaging in any such acts.
The court also ordered that he be released upon executing a bond for Rs 50,000 along with two solvent sureties before the Special Court for POCSO cases, The Hindu reported.
Sreejith Arrested in 2016 For Similar Act
In 2016, he was arrested for allegedly indecently exposing himself before school girls in Palakkad district of Kerala. He had parked his car close to the school, exposed himself, and also took their photos in his mobile.
He was later granted conditional bail, on the condition that he surrenders his passport.
The 'Thanaha' actor was then arrested from a shooting location in Ottapalam after police had confirmed that the number of the car provided by the girls belonged to the actor.
Sreejith was arrested under Section 509 of IPC (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women).
(With inputs from TNM, The Hindu, PTI.)
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