Film actor Siddiqui after appearing before the Special Investigation Team for questioning in an alleged rape case in Thiruvananthapuram. File photo Photo courtesy: PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 19, 2024) ordered that in the event of his arrest in a sexual abuse case, Malayalam film actor Siddiqui should be released on bail on the condition that he submits his passport and cooperates before the concerned trial court. . With investigation.

A division bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and SC Sharma accepted his appeal for relief in the case based on a complaint filed by a woman that she was raped by the veteran actor in a hotel in 2016.

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The court said it did not want to give any detailed reasons for reaching its conclusion in view of the sensitive nature of the case. However, the bench cited the fact that it took eight years for the woman to file a police complaint. Secondly, he had made allegations against the actor and others on Facebook in 2018. Ultimately, the complainant did not approach the Justice Hema Committee, which was investigating allegations of sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry.

‘Complainant got courage after Hema panel report’

“She had the courage to post on Facebook but didn’t go to the police for eight years?” Justice Trivedi asked during the hearing.

At one point, the court asked whether the complaint “still does cinema?”

Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for the complainant, said it was Mr Siddiqui who had contacted the woman. There was a huge age difference between them. Mr Grover said he “wooed” her, allegedly inviting her to a film preview and a hotel under the pretext of talking about a career in cinema. “This is a case of rape,” Ms Grover said.

Ms Grover said she had faced criticism on social media for her Facebook post and had received threats. She could gather courage again only after the Justice Hema Committee report was published.

“It takes courage for a woman to say she was raped by a high-profile man,” Ms Grover said.

The lawyer urged the court to order Mr Siddiqui’s custodial interrogation otherwise the trial would be affected.

Senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mr Siddiqui, claimed that the woman had “made complaints against everyone”. He said his client is 66 years old and a prominent member of the film community.

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar and advocate Nishe Rajen Shonkar, appearing for Kerala Police, said that during interrogation, Mr Siddiqui was evasive in his answers. A Kerala Police report in the top court said it was “necessary to expose him.” [Siddique] ‘Tell the lie of righteousness before he goes down in history as a hero.” It said there was a ”mass of evidence” against Mr Siddiqui.

A Special Investigation Team is currently probing over 30 FIRs filed across Kerala after the Justice Hema Committee report revealed “shocking and large-scale” sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.

The committee had found that “the common problem faced by women is the sexual demands made on women to gain entry into cinema and the opportunity to work in cinema”.

The police report in the top court had cited the Justice Hema Committee’s findings that “many criminals are powerful and very influential.” The powerful lobby in the film industry is like a mafia as they can do anything as per their whims and fancies. “No man or woman dares to say a word that might hurt someone associated with the power group.”