1 held, 30 booked for posting obscene remarks on Malayalam actress Honey Rose

Kochi, Jan 6 (PTI) A man was arrested on Monday and at least 30 people were booked for allegedly posting obscene remarks on the social media page of Malayalam actress Honey Rose, police said.

The arrested man was identified as Shaji, a 60-year-old hailing from nearby Panangadu.

The case was registered based on a complaint lodged by the actress on Sunday night, police said.

The Kochi Central Police said an investigation is on to identify the rest of the accused.

The accused were booked under various sections of the BNS, including section 75 and section 67 of the IT Act.

BNS 75 deals with sexual harassment, and IT Act section 67 refers to punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

The accused would be identified with the support of the cyber cell, and necessary action would be taken, police sources said.

The police action came a day after the actress put out a Facebook post accusing an individual of stalking her and making sexually inappropriate remarks, including through media platforms, which she claimed outraged her modesty.

A number of people posted offensive comments below the particular post, prompting Rose to approach the police.

In the FB post on Sunday morning, Rose wondered whether it was acceptable for someone to insult a woman based on their perceived superiority due to wealth. However, she did not disclose the identity of the person she accused of stalking her.

The actress stated in the post that the man had initially invited her to a programme as a guest, an invitation she had accepted. She alleged that after she declined subsequent invitations, the person began insulting her as a form of retaliation.

Meanwhile, Rose came out with a fresh social media post on Monday against those who make objectionable comments on her way of dressing in public programmes.

"I have never come out in public platforms wearing any dress that is not permitted by the Indian legal system," she said in a FB post.

She said she is not responsible for anyone framing their own laws according to their whims and fancies.

Stating that she is attending various programmes as part of her job as an actress, Rose further said there should be a reasonable restriction for any criticism against her and her dressing style.

The "Trivandrum Lodge" actress also warned social media abusers that she would fight their objectionable remarks after studying all the possibilities of protection being ensured to a woman by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Honey Rose is known for her roles in a handful of movies in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. PTI