Today, On 9th January, Actor, director, and producer Manchu Mohan Babu has received relief from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has directed that Mohan Babu should not be arrested until the hearing on his anticipatory bail plea is completed. It is known that an attempt to murder case was filed against Mohan Babu in connection with an attack on a journalist.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court granted relief to actor, director, and producer Manchu Mohan Babu, ordering that he not be arrested until the hearing on his anticipatory bail application is completed.
This ruling is related to an attempt to murder case stemming from an assault on a journalist. The Telangana High Court previously denied him anticipatory bail, prompting his appeal to the Supreme Court.
The hearing took place on Thursday before a bench led by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia.
Read Also: [Renukaswamy Murder Case] Karnataka HC Grants Bail to Actor Darshan, Pavithra Gowda
Bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Prashant Kumar Mishra issued an interim order after hearing Mohan Babu’s appeal against the Telangana High Court’s rejection of his anticipatory bail plea.
The Court directed,
“No coercive measures till the next date. File reply. List after four weeks.”
According to the complaint against the actor, the victim a journalist from TV9 had visited Babu’s home at the request of the actor’s son, Manchu Manoj. It is alleged that during the encounter, the veteran actor forcefully seized the journalist’s microphone and struck him with it.
Last month, the High Court found prima facie evidence of serious allegations against the actor, noting attempts to interfere with the investigation by pressuring the complainant to withdraw the case. This led Babu to seek protection against arrest from the Supreme Court.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Babu, argued that custodial interrogation was unnecessary in this case. The court was informed that the actor denied threatening the journalist to retract his complaint.
Rohatgi stated,
“I am 76 years old, a film actor, and I have an estranged son who invaded my home with 40 to 50 people,”
In opposition to the bail plea, the journalist’s counsel highlighted the injuries he sustained, saying,
“I had a fractured jaw and had to eat through a tube. He is 76, but he attacked me, a 35-year-old.”
Rohatgi acknowledged the injuries but noted that the actor was prepared to apologize and compensate the journalist.
He asserted,
“It happened in the heat of the moment. I am willing to apologize publicly and even offer compensation. It was a case of hurt, and now they’ve escalated it to an attempt to murder!”
When Rohatgi mentioned that the incident involved trespassing, given the large group that accompanied the actor’s son, the court responded,
“That does not mean you hit them.”
While granting interim relief to the actor, the court also instructed the journalist’s counsel to consider whether he wanted compensation.
Rohatgi replied,
“I will discuss with my colleague [the opposing counsel] and see what can be arranged,”
The court instructed that no arrest should occur until the anticipatory bail matter is resolved. In his petition, Mohan Babu, who is 78 years old and suffers from heart conditions, requested anticipatory bail based on his health concerns. He expressed hope for a favorable outcome from the Supreme Court, which ultimately provided him with interim relief.
The journalist involved in the case reportedly sustained serious injuries from the alleged assault, resulting in the registration of an attempt to murder charge against Mohan Babu. The court had previously ordered him to report to the police on December 24, but he failed to do so.
Consequently, the Telangana High Court denied his request for anticipatory bail, leading him to escalate the issue to the Supreme Court.
The Manchu family has recently faced a series of controversies, particularly involving disputes with Mohan Babu’s youngest son, actor Manchu Manoj. Reports indicate that three FIRs have been filed regarding these disputes. Rachakonda Police Commissioner Sudheer Babu stated that investigations are ongoing and clarified that there has been no delay in Mohan Babu’s case.
He also noted that Mohan Babu does not possess any gun licenses within the Rachakonda jurisdiction.
Case Title: Manchu Mohan Babu vs. The State Of Telangana & Anr, SLP(Crl) No. 132/2025