The Kerala High Court Thursday declined to grant police protection to controversial Malayalam actress Leena Maria Paul who had alleged imminent threat to her life following the recent attack on a beauty parlour run by her in Kochi.
On December 18, Leena Maria Paul had moved the court seeking a direction to police to provide her security, days after two men allegedly fired shots at the parlour.
When the petition by the actress came up before the division bench of Justices PR Ramachandra Menon and N Anil Kumar, the Kerala government said there were three cases pending against her and they were gathering more details.
The government said she had the liberty to have private security, if required, which the court did not object.
The petitioner also approved the government's decision.
Refusing to grant police protection to the actress, the bench said the police can proceed its investigation if any case was pending against the petitioner.
The police then said a probe into the shooting incident, which occurred last week, was progressing.
In her petition, Leena Maria Paul had submitted that she was willing to bear the expenses involved in providing her police protection.
The actress had alleged that she received threat calls on her mobile phone, demanding Rs. 25 crore on November 3 under instructions from notorious gangster Ravi Pujari.
The caller had threatened to kill the actress if the money was not paid.
The threat calls were made on subsequent dates also, she submitted.
On December 10, police had approached her to enquire about the calls, she had said.
On December 15, the attackers, wearing full face helmets, came to the parlour in Panampilly Nagar at around 3 pm and fired two shots before speeding away, police said.
Leena Maria Paul has acted in Bollywood film 'Madras Cafe', Tamil flick 'Biriyani' and Malayalam films 'Husbands in Goa' and 'Red Chillies'.
The actress was an accused in a bank fraud case and was associated with alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, now in Tihar jail in a matter related to a bid to bribe the Election Commission, involving Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader and RK Nagar MLA TTV Dinakaran.