Malayalam film actor Siddique has reached the Supreme Court for his anticipatory bail in the sexual harassment case. After the anticipatory bail petition was rejected by the Kerala High Court, the Malayalam actor filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Supreme Court. In August this year, an FIR was filed against Siddique on charges of sexual harassment by an actress. She had accused him of sexual harassment and exploitation after the Justice Hema Committee report was made public.
Siddique refuses to the accusations
The actress has accused actor Siddique under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). However, Siddique has categorically denied the accusations, and a comprehensive court order is pending. This legal development follows Siddique's request for anticipatory bail on September 2, in response to a rape case lodged against him. Serious accusations have been made by several women actors against prominent figures in the industry, including director Ranjith and actors Mukesh, Siddique and others.
Hema Committee report has rocked the Malayalam film industry
The Malayalam film industry has recently been rocked by a "Me Too" movement exposing various allegations of sexual abuse. In light of the allegations, Siddique resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), along with the entire 17-member executive committee. In addition to Siddique, other actors such as Mukesh, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju have also been implicated in sexual assault cases. The surge in these allegations came in the wake of the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed disturbing accounts of harassment, exploitation, and the systematic mistreatment of women in the industry.
The Hema Committee report, made public on August 19, after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, noted that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.
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