In a jolt to Malayalam actor Siddique, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday refused to grant anticipatory bail in a rape case filed against him by an actress.
The case against Siddique was registered based on a complaint by an actress who accused him of raping her at the state-owned Hotel in the state capital city in 2016.
This former actress came forward with her complaint soon after the explosive Hema Committee report, which was published last month and brought out the pitiable condition of women in the Malayalam film industry.
Since then there has been a steady stream of complaints from yesteryear actresses against actors, directors and producers in the Malayalam film industry. Siddique got into trouble when the actress, who initially hesitated to file a police complaint, later emailed the State Police Chief alleging that Siddique raped her after she refused to give in to his demands for sexual favours in exchange for a role in a Tamil movie.
When this revelation came Siddique, who was recently elected as the general secretary of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes) quit the post. Thereafter, the entire committee chaired by President Mohanlal also resigned.
On Tuesday, Siddique strongly put his stance that this particular actress has been harassing him since 2019 by making repeated claims on social media that he tried to sexually misbehave with her at a theatre in 2016, and after the Hema Committee report was published she made the more serious allegation of rape at a different place in the same year.
The Malayalam film industry has suffered badly after the Hema Committee report was published.
A few former actresses revealed their bad experiences and the police were quick to act.
The police have registered 11 FIRs against various film personalities after former actresses revealed to the media how they were exploited.
Presently, those who are in the dock include actor-turned-CPI(M) legislator Mukesh Madhavan, Nivin Pauly, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpilla Raju, directors Ranjith and Prakash, and production executives Vichu and Noble.
Mukesh, Ranjith, Raju, Prakash and now Jayasurya and a few others have already got relief from the courts from being arrested.
Siddique thus becomes the first actor who applied for anticipatory bail but failed to get it, leaving him in a tight spot.
Now all eyes are on the special investigation team on what their next move will be, and also on the actor if he will go in for an appeal against the single bench verdict denying him anticipatory bail.
(With inputs from IANS)
