Supreme Court Rejects Mohan Babu’s Plea in 2019 Election Code Violation Case
Veteran film actor and educationist Mohan Babu faced a legal setback on Wednesday as the Supreme Court dismissed his plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in a case related to the alleged violation of the model code of conduct during the 2019 elections.
A bench led by Justice Bela M. Trivedi heard the matter and ruled that Mohan Babu must appear in person before the designated inquiry officer on the scheduled date. The bench also declined to issue notices to the state government at this stage, despite requests from the actor’s legal counsel.
The case stems from a protest held in Tirupati during the 2019 election period, organized under the banner of educational institutions managed by Mohan Babu. The protest was aimed at highlighting delays in fee reimbursement payments to students. However, it was alleged that the demonstration violated the election code of conduct in place at the time.
During the proceedings, the court questioned whether Mohan Babu was physically present at the protest. His counsel acknowledged the actor’s leadership role in the institutions but argued that the model code of conduct applies to political entities, not private individuals. The advocate further cited Mohan Babu’s age—75—and his ongoing responsibilities in managing educational institutions as reasons to grant exemption from appearance.
Despite these arguments, the court noted that the charge sheet filed in the case includes allegations of code violations. After reviewing the submissions from both sides, the bench ruled against granting a stay and instructed Mohan Babu to comply with the inquiry process.
The matter has been adjourned for four weeks, with the court expected to review further developments at the next hearing.
