KOCHI: Three days after the Nadakkavu police booked a case against actor-politician Suresh Gopi for allegedly misbehaving with a woman journalist, the actor refused to speak to the media on Wednesday.
As he returned after attending a Kerala state formation day celebration organised by the transgender community at Kaloor in Kochi, Suresh Gopi lifted his hands and pressed the palms together requesting the media to give way for him.
"No body touching, Please keep away from me," he said while walking towards the car.
The actor who attended another programme in Thrissur made it clear that he wanted to avoid the media.
"Don't deny me my right to a path. I will also file a case. Please don't block my way. I have the right to walk. Do you want to know the clause?" he told journalists waiting for him.
A woman journalist in Kozhikode had submitted a complaint to the police and Women's Commission alleging that the actor touched her shoulder inappropriately on October 27. The police went on to book a case under section 354 A of IPC.
"I asked him (the actor) questions about contesting in Thrissur, among other things. In the meantime, he called me 'mole' (daughter) and patted me on my shoulder. I was shocked and didn't know what to do or what was going on. At that point, I backed off. I tried to remove his hand from my shoulder," the journalist had said in a video detailing the incident.
"The media interaction continued and I again asked questions. His reaction was the same and he placed his hand on my shoulder again. It was something I could not bear. The behaviour was mentally troubling. I pushed his hand away from my shoulder," she said.
Suresh Gopi had tendered an apology after the incident triggered a controversy.
"I treated the woman with fatherly affection in front of the media. I have never been disrespectful of anyone in my life on and off the public stage. However, what the woman feels about it (my behaviour) should be respected. I apologise if she felt bad or suffered mentally in any way. Sorry...," Suresh Gopi said in a Facebook post.