Malayalam actor Soubin Shahir has been denied permission to travel to Dubai by a magistrate court in Ernakulam due to an ongoing investigation into a financial fraud case linked to the film Manjummel Boys. The court's decision comes in response to a petition filed by Shahir seeking to attend a film awards ceremony scheduled to take place in Dubai between September 6th and 8th.

The prosecution and complainant argued against granting Shahir travel permission, stating that a key witness in the Manjummel Boys case is currently abroad and that Shahir, as one of the accused, might attempt to influence them. The court considered the possibility of witness tampering and the fact that the investigation is in its early stages. The Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court ultimately denied Shahir's request.

Shahir, along with co-producers Babu Shahir and Shawn Antony, was earlier arrested in connection with the financial fraud case. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Siraj Valiyathura, who alleged that he was not given his agreed-upon share of the film's profits despite investing ₹7 crore. Valiyathura claimed that the producers transferred the profits to their own accounts, violating their investment agreement. The producers, however, contend that Siraj did not pay the full investment amount on time, causing disruptions to the shooting schedule and extending the production.

The producers are accused of promising a 40% profit share to the investor. Authorities allege that the producers misled the complainant by falsely claiming that the first phase of filming was complete when it had not yet commenced.

The Kerala High Court had previously granted conditional anticipatory bail to Shahir and the other accused. The court had directed the accused to appear for questioning and clarified that they should not be interrogated in custody; if arrested, they were to be immediately granted bail. Soubin Shahir has stated that he is cooperating with the investigation and has presented his version of events.

In addition to Soubin Shahir, Manjummel Boys co-producer Shawn Antony also sought permission from the court to travel abroad. The prosecution opposed his request, citing the ongoing investigation and the potential for witness tampering. The court also denied Antony's request.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched an investigation into alleged financial irregularities by Soubin's Parava Films following the success of Manjummel Boys.

Soubin Shahir began his film career as an assistant director and is known for his roles in films such as Charlie, Maheshinte Prathikaaram, and Kumbalangi Nights. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his lead role in Sudani from Nigeria. He played Siju David and produced Manjummel Boys in 2024.