Not stepping down as AMMA president: Innocent

Dismissing media speculation, popular Malayalam character actor and Lok Sabha member Innocent on Wednesday said he is not quitting as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).

Speaking to IANS over phone, Innocent said he has no clue how such news was being spread.

"What you hear is just a figment of the imagination of the media. I have not even thought of quitting as president of AMMA," said Innocent.

Some TV channels on Wednesday put out the news that Innocent was quitting and that talks have begun to find a replacement.

Innocent has been the president of AMMA for over a decade now. However, things went for a toss ever since last week's AMMA annual general body meeting and press meet, where he feigned ignorance regarding the controversial actress kidnap case. Innocent put up a weak defence to the questions about the deliberations at the GBM regarding the actress kidnap case, and came under severe attack from various quarters.

This is the first time in his long tenure as AMMA president that he has come under attack. Innocent is also a CPI-M backed Lok Sabha member from Chalakkudy constituency in Thrissur district.

Later addressing a press meet at Thrissur, Innocent said that two of the AMMA members, legislators Mukesh and K.B. Ganesh Kumar, while speaking at the post-GBM press conference had failed to control themselves "which was wrong".

He also extended an apology to the media over the behaviour of AMMA members.

"Also, I wish to apologise to you (media) for the manner in which our members responded by hooting at the media when answers were being given by us on that day. It was not proper," said Innocent.

He said that he himself asked Dileep, following allegations of the actor's involvement in the kidnap case, whether he has any role, and Dileep "coolly replied that he has no role in it".

--IANS

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