Mahila Congress workers stage a protest against actors Mukesh, Ganesh Kumar, Siddique and others after the Justice Hema Committee report revealed instances of sexual harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, in Kochi.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: While actor-turned CPM MLA M Mukesh was arrested in a sexual assault case on Tuesday, actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Siddique is also likely to be arrested as the Kerala High Court rejected anticipatory bail to him.
Mukesh who faces sexual assault allegation was arrested after being quizzed by the special investigation team in Kochi. He was later released on bail as he had already obtained anticipatory bail.
The HC on Tuesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Siddique in a case of sexually assaulting a woman actor at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016 January by offering roles in films.
The court also maintained that the materials placed on record prima facie shows the petitioner’s involvement in the crime.
"The complaint could not be disregarded considering the delay in complaining, but has to be understood in the context of the trauma she may have suffered. A woman’s experiences of sexual assault are not a reflection of her character but rather an indication of her suffering. The attempt to blame a woman for speaking out may be a strategy to silence her, which is hostile to the supremacy of the law," the court observed.
After the court rejected the bail, the special investigation team was reportedly initiating steps for his arrest. A lookout circular was also learnt to be issued to ensure that he did not leave the country through any ports.
Siddique, who was said to be in a hideout, was also learnt to be making swift moves to file appeal against the HC decision.
A bench of Justice C S Dias denied anticipatory bail to Siddique by observing that the case against him was of serious nature. The court rejected Siddique's contentions that it was fake allegation and there were contradictions in a similar allegation raised by the complainant several years back.
The SIT was learnt to have already collected evidence against Siddique.
A series of sexual allegations against prominent persons in the Malayalam film industry surfaced after the report of Justice Hema committee on the sexual harassments and discriminations faced by women in the Malayalam film industry came out last month.
Over 20 police cases have so far been registered in this connection.