Veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu, who had assaulted a video journalist last week, visited the victim to personally apologise to him and his family, in a Hyderabad hospital on Sunday.
Mr Babu was booked for attempt to murder, after the TV9 video journalist, Muppidi Ranjith Kumar, sustained fractures to his zygomatic bone in the assault that took place in the actor’s Jalpally residence on December 10.
In his complaint, the journalist said that when he visited Mr Babu’s residence to cover the ongoing dispute between the actor and his younger son Manoj, the senior actor confronted him and other journalists aggressively.
He allegedly grabbed the microphone, used “abusive and foul language”, and “attacked” him with it, causing a head injury, the complainant said.
The journalist was admitted to Yashoda Hospital, where he has been undergoing treatment since then.
As the assault sparked protests by journalist associations in Hyderabad, demanding accountability and stricter measures to ensure the safety of media personnel, Mr Babu issued an apology through a statement on December 13.
“I am writing this letter to formally address the unfortunate incident that occurred recently and to express my deep regret over the events that transpired. It pains me deeply that what started as a personal family dispute spiraled into a larger situation, causing distress not only to the esteemed TV9 family but also to the broader journalist fraternity,” Mr Babu said.
The actor also said that he lost his composure in the heat of the moment as 30 to 50 “anti-social elements” forcibly barged into his house. He alleged that the “elements” intended to cause harm to him.
“Amidst this chaos, the media inadvertently became intertwined in the situation. As I tried to manage the situation, one of your journalists, unfortunately, sustained an injury. This was a deeply regrettable outcome, and I deeply regret the pain and inconvenience caused to him, his family, and the TV9 community. I sincerely apologize for my actions, which have caused pain and distress,” Mr Babu said.
On the basis of a statement by the journalist, a case under section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was filed against the actor.