Malayalam Rapper Vedan Booked for Rape: Kerala Doctor Files Complaint

Kerala police registered a rape case against Malayalam rapper Hirandas Murali, known as Vedan, on July 28, 2025, following a complaint by a young doctor. The Ernakulam Town North police filed the case under Indian Penal Code Section 376(2) for repeated rape, as the alleged incidents occurred between August 2021 and March 2023, before the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replaced the IPC. The complainant, a medical professional, alleged that Vedan sexually assaulted her multiple times under the false promise of marriage. She approached the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Kochi to lodge her statement, prompting the case registration.

According to the complaint, the doctor met Vedan through social media in 2019, initially as a fan, and a relationship developed. She claimed Vedan took her to various locations, including Kozhikode, where the assaults occurred. The complainant reported emotional trauma after Vedan distanced himself in 2023, backing out of the marriage promise. Kochi City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya stated that the investigation remains in its initial stages, with no notice served to Vedan yet. Police are verifying the complaint’s details and plan to interview witnesses mentioned in the statement. The complainant also noted financial transactions with Vedan, which authorities are examining.

The case includes charges under IPC Sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 417 (cheating). The complainant alleged that Vedan gained her trust by portraying himself as a social activist and public intellectual. The complaint also includes allegations of physical and mental abuse.

On July 30, 2025, Vedan moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. In his petition, he claimed the relationship was consensual and that the complaint was an attempt to tarnish his image. He also alleged that the complainant had threatened to falsely implicate him when he decided to end the relationship. The court is expected to hear the anticipatory bail plea in the coming days. Vedan has not been taken into custody as of now. The investigation is ongoing.

This marks not the first controversy for Vedan, a 30-year-old rapper from Thrissur known for his 2020 music video "Voice of the Voiceless." In April 2025, Hill Palace police arrested him with eight others for possessing six grams of ganja/Cannabis in his Kochi apartment. He was released on bail but faced immediate arrest by the Forest Department for possessing a leopard-tooth pendant, a violation of the Wildlife Protection Act. Vedan claimed the pendant was a fan gift and later secured bail. In May 2025, a BJP leader accused him of defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promoting caste division through his lyrics. Similar sexual abuse allegations surfaced against Vedan during the MeToo movement, though no formal police case was filed then. The ongoing investigation into the doctor’s complaint continues, with police gathering evidence to determine further actions.

(Rh/Eth/NS/MSM/SE)