Courts cannot decide matters based on social media narratives: Kerala High Court in Vedan case

The Kerala High Court on Monday reserved its order on the anticipatory bail plea filed by Malayalam rapper, lyricist and performing artist Hiran Das Murali, also known as Vedan, in connection with a rape on false promise of marriage case against him [Hiran Das Murali v State of Kerala & Anr]..During the hearing, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas orally remarked that courts cannot rely on social media posts and narratives while deciding cases."Unfortunately we are now guided so much by social media. Social media posts are given by anybody. Anybody’s views becomes probably the truth for sometime and if it is repeated by some other person it becomes the real truth without any verification. Unfortunately a court of law cannot base its view on that," the Court remarked.The observation came after the complainant's counsel submitted that there were widespread allegations on social media about the rapper being involved in multiple relationships with women..The present case was filed by a young doctor alleging that Vedan lured her into a sexual relationship under the pretext of marriage.According to the first information report (FIR), the two had first connected in 2021 after which their relationship became intimate, allegedly leading to multiple instances of physical intimacy and financial dealings tied to repeated promises of marriage.After registration of FIR, Vedan moved the High Court for anticipatory bail..At the hearing today, the counsel representing the complainant informed the Court that a fresh FIR has been registered against Vedan on the basis of complaint by another woman.The Court then asked the complainant's counsel what material existed to show that the accused, Vedan, had made a false promise of marriage and thereafter sexually exploited the complainant based on that said promise.The judge also questioned the delay in filing the complaint and asked, "During that period were you suffering from depression, is that why there has been a delay in filing the complaint? Are you working now?"On the other hand, Vedan's counsel submitted that both the First Information Statement and the FIR clearly revealed that there was a delay of nearly two years in lodging the complaint.He argued that there was no indication of any forced sexual intercourse and maintained that the relationship between the parties was entirely consensual but after their breakup, differences arose which eventually led to the filing of the present case against Vedan..Earlier on August 19, the High Court had granted Vedan temporary protection from arrest in the case.The Court will pronounce its final order on the anticipatory bail plea on August 27..Advocate S Rajeev appeared for Vedan while advocate Bimla Baby represented the complainant. .[Read Live Coverage]