Malayalam actor-MLA Mukesh arrested; Siddique likely to be held soon - Kerala #MeToo latest
Actor-legislator Mukesh was arrested and released, while Siddique is facing arrest
Kerala #MeToo: Malayalam actor Mukesh was arrested and released on bail on Tuesday (Sep 24), while his colleague Siddique is absconding as police seek to nab him, as the law catches up with those in Kerala's movie industry accused of rape and sexual harassment in the wake of the Hema Committee report that shook the south Indian state.
Mukesh, who is also a state lawmaker from the ruling Communist party, was formally arrested before being released as he had secured anticipatory bail from a Kerala court. But Siddique was not so lucky. His bail plea was rejected by the Kerala High Court earlier in the day. He reportedly approached the Supreme Court and is absconding as police in Kochi city are trying to locate and arrest him.
Watch:#Metoo haunts Malayalam cinema: Actor Mohanlal breaks silence on sex scandal
The complaint against Mukesh was filed by a former actress, who claimed that the Kollam Assembly constituency lawmaker raped her in 2010 at his flat in Kochi. He had promised to give her a membership in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA),the actor's organisation now mired in controversy.
The actress had also complained against Edavela Babu, another long-term office bearer of AMMA.
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The crime branch of the state has ordered the arrest of Siddique and a lookout circular has been issued against him at airports and other places, to prevent him from fleeing the country.
An actress had filed a complaint against Siddique, alleging that he had raped her in a government-owned hotel in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. She had gone there after being promised a role in a Tamil film, claimed the woman.
The woman had made allegations against Siddique on social media in the past, but came forward in the wake of the Hema Committee report, which looked into systemic abuse of women in the Malayalam film industry.
After the new allegations, Siddique resigned as the general secretary of AMMA in August, just days after being elected to the post.
The executive committee of AMMA, chaired by superstar Mohanlal, resigned subsequently.
Both Mukesh and Siddique had denied the allegations made in the complaints.
Since the Hema Committee report was made public, several women came forward with allegations against some of the prominent names in the Kerala movie industry.
At least 11 FIRs or first information reports have been registered. Those accused include actors like Nivin Pauly, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as directors like Ranjith and Prakash.
(With inputs from agencies)
