New Delhi:

Kerala Police are reportedly gearing up to arrest actor Siddique following the Kerala High Court’s decision to deny him anticipatory bail in the Malayalam cinema #MeToo case, sources said. The court rejected Siddique’s bail plea in a rape case lodged against him by a former actress. A lookout circular has been issued as police intensify efforts to trace Siddique’s whereabouts.

The charges stem from a complaint filed by an actress who alleged that Siddique raped her at a state-owned hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. According to sources, the victim had initially refrained from reporting the incident but came forward after the explosive Hema Committee report was released last month. The report highlighted the systemic abuse and harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, encouraging several former actresses to share their stories of exploitation.

The actress, in her complaint, claims that Siddique coerced her into providing sexual favours in exchange for a role in a Tamil movie. When she refused, he allegedly raped her. Siddique, who was recently elected general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), resigned from his post soon after the allegations surfaced, prompting the entire committee, chaired by actor Mohanlal, to step down as well.

Siddique has denied the allegations, accusing the complainant of harassing him since 2019 by repeatedly making baseless claims on social media. According to Siddique, the actress had previously accused him of misbehaving with her at a theatre in 2016, but only after the Hema Committee report did she escalate her allegations to rape.

The Malayalam film industry has been rocked by a series of sexual misconduct allegations since the Hema Committee report, which exposed the conditions faced by women in the industry. Since the report’s release, police have registered 11 FIRs against various actors, directors, and producers. Siddique’s case is the latest in a string of high-profile allegations.

Other well-known figures implicated in similar cases include actor-turned-legislator Mukesh Madhavan, actors Nivin Pauly, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as directors Ranjith and Prakash. 

Kochi:

Actor Siddique on Monday approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a sexual assault case filed against him. The actor’s legal move comes amid the ongoing “Me Too” storm, which has shaken the Malayalam film industry.

The case against Siddique was filed after the police in Thiruvananthapuram registered an FIR based on a complaint from a female actor.

Earlier this week, Siddique quit as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) along with its entire 17-member executive committee following serious allegations of sexual abuse made by several female actors against prominent Malayalam cinema figures, including director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh.

Apart from Siddique, actors including Mukesh, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpilla Raju and director Ranjith were booked in sexual assault cases.

Sexual assault allegations against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry followed after the Justice Hema Committee report disclosing some shocking details of crimes against women in the industry were made public.

The report containing shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals took the whole industry by storm.

The 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.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)