During the hearing, a bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhuli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah examined the matter. The judges asked Babu’s counsel about allegations that the actor had threatened the journalist. However, the lawyer denied this claim and assured the court that the journalist would be compensated. The counsel also stated that the actor would fully cooperate with the police investigation.
New Delhi, February 13: The Supreme Court has granted anticipatory bail to veteran Telugu actor and former MP Manchu Mohan Babu in a case related to the alleged assault of a TV journalist.
Mohan Babu had earlier approached the Supreme Court after the Telangana High Court denied him anticipatory bail on December 23. Before this, the Supreme Court had provided him with interim protection from arrest.
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During the hearing, a bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhuli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah examined the matter. The judges asked Babu’s counsel about allegations that the actor had threatened the journalist. However, the lawyer denied this claim and assured the court that the journalist would be compensated. The counsel also stated that the actor would fully cooperate with the police investigation.
The incident reportedly took place when Babu allegedly took a wireless microphone from a journalist and threw it at him, causing serious injuries.
Earlier, Babu’s counsel informed the Supreme Court that the actor was involved in a personal dispute with his estranged son, who had allegedly entered his home with a media crew of 20-30 people. In the heat of the moment, Babu threw the mic at the journalist.
The counsel representing the journalist presented the severity of the injuries in court, stating that the journalist had to spend five days in the hospital and underwent reconstruction surgery of the jaw. The injuries were so severe that the journalist was fed through a pipe during recovery.
On 9th January, 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
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.
Case Title: Manchu Mohan Babu vs. The State Of Telangana & Anr, SLP(Crl) No. 132/2025
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