Kollam: Actor Mukesh , who has been accused of harassment by a woman amid the #MeToo movement, cannot be arrested, legal experts have told police. They have made it clear that a case cannot be registered against the actor based on a comment on the social media.Tess Joseph, a television director, had accused Mukesh, who is also an MLA , of harassing her 19 years ago. When she was a casting director of popular quiz game show ‘Kodeeswaran’, the then host Mukesh had reportedly called her to his hotel room, she had alleged.A criminal offence cannot be proved without a valid complaint, the legal experts have opined.Fisheries minister J Mercykutty said a case can be registered against the actor if a police complaint is made against him. The law does not give any special privilege to Mukesh but a complaint should be made against him, she said. “We cannot act upon just a hearsay,’’ said the minister.The Kollam MLA had denied the allegation against him.Referring to the alleged incident that happened during shooting of a TV programme 19 years ago, Mukesh had said he didn’t remember the woman who had levelled the allegation. He also said she might have mistaken him for somebody else.Recounting the incident, Joseph had said the actor repeatedly called her to his room and when she refused, he changed his room to one near her at the hotel where the crew stayed. She also said Derek O’Brien, who was the producer of the show, saved her by shifting her out of the set.Denying the allegations, Mukesh had said he was still in touch with O’Brien and had associated with him later too. He said O’Brien wouldn’t have cooperated with him if the allegations were true.O’Brien is an MP representing Trinamool Congress now.

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