KOCHI: The Kochi city police have issued a lookout notice against rapper Hirandas Murali aka Vedan in connection with an alleged rape complaint filed by a woman doctor.
The notice was issued as the police could not trace Vedan even two weeks after the case was registered. Police said he is likely to flee the country to avoid arrest. The lookout circular was sent to airports late on Sunday to prevent him from fleeing the country, said a source with Kochi city police.
The probe team suspects that Vedan may be attempting to leave the country, prompting the issuance of the notice. If he manages to travel abroad, bringing him back would be a challenging task. The probe is being conducted by Infopark SHO under the supervision of the Thrikkakkara ACP, said the official.
Responding to the ongoing probe, a top source with Kochi city police, stated, “The victim has given a statement that she was sexually assaulted five times in Kozhikode, Kochi, and Eloor. She also alleged that the accused assaulted her under the influence of drugs. Moreover, she named some friends of Vedan who were aware of the incidents. The woman stated that Vedan had cut off contact with her since July 2023, ignoring her calls, which left her mentally distressed,” said the source.
The victim also revealed that she had transferred Rs 31,000 to Vedan on several occasions and submitted Google Pay transaction details to support her claim, he added.
Following Vedan’s disappearance, ‘Olam Live’, a music event featuring Vedan as headliner, originally scheduled to take place at the Bolgatty Palace in Kochi on August 9, 2025, was postponed. The Kochi city police had planned to arrest him if he attended the event. Meanwhile, Vedan has filed a petition seeking anticipatory bail in the High Court, which is scheduled to be heard on August 18, 2025.