Ranjith sexual harassment case: Why Malayalam filmmaker has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Ranjith sexual harassment case: Why Malayalam filmmaker has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody")
Ranjith Photograph: (X)
A magistrate court in Kerala remanded Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan to judicial custody for 14 days regarding an alleged sexual harassment case. Read on to know more about the controversy.
Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan, best known for Thirakkatha and Indian Rupee, has landed in legal trouble after a magistrate court in Kerala on Wednesday remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days regarding an alleged sexual harassment case.
According to reports, the filmmaker has currently been lodged at the Ernakulam Sub Jail. The matter came to light after Ranjith was reportedly taken into police custody from the Idukki district following a complaint by an actress who alleged that he attempted sexual assault on her during a film shoot.
What's the complaint
According to the reports, the complainant stated that the alleged event occurred during a film shoot where the director supposedly invited her into a caravan.
She claimed that he tried to sexually assault her inside the vehicle.
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The Kochi City Police, following her complaint, filed a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including an attempt to violate a woman’s modesty.
As per reports, the case was registered on Monday, after which the actress’s statement was taken at a Women’s Police Station.
The investigation is said to have been carried out quietly to safeguard the complainant's privacy.
According to officials, he was produced before a Judicial First Class Magistrate, and the court remanded him to 14 days in judicial custody. Reportedly, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Kochi City Police Commissioner has been assigned to investigate the case further.
About Ranjith's past allegations
As per reports, the filmmaker has denied the allegations and stated that he had been "framed." However, this is not the first sexual misconduct complaint against him. Earlier, his name reportedly came up in connection with the Justice K Hema Committee report, which noted harassment and abuse cases in the Malayalam film industry.
In 2024, several complaints were made against him, including one from a Bengali actress who alleged inappropriate behavior during a meeting about the 2009 film Paleri Manikyam.
However, courts dismissed multiple cases against him. Ranjith also resigned as the chairperson of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy in 2024 after similar accusations.
