Two more actors resigned from the internal complaints committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) in protest against the organisation's refusal to take any action against actor-producer Vijay Babu who has been charged with rape by a young actor.
Actors Shwetha Menon and Kukku Parameswaran quit the committee a day after Maala Parvathy stepped down from the panel, voicing her protest. All the three actors have made their marks in the Malayalam film industry with their stunning portrayal of a variety of characters over years. Menon was the head of the complaints committee while the others were members.
Speaking to the media after her resignation, Parvathy on Monday said the ICC had recommended action against Vijay Babu but its statement issued on Sunday does not sound like a disciplinary action. “AMMA's statement does not look like disciplinary action and as an ICC member, I cannot accept it. Hence, I have given my resignation from ICC," she told the media. She had said Menon and Parameshwaran, would also hand over their resignations.
AMMA vice-president Maniyanpillai Raju on Monday maintained that the organisation can't expel actor Vijay Babu over the sexual assault complaint against him. He said Maala Parvathi was free to take any decision she wants. However, all the other ICC members are with AMMA, he claimed. His claim has been proven wrong with the decision by Menon and Parameswaran.
He claimed that the committee members, including Shwetha Menon, had agreed to Vijay Babu's decision to stay away from AMMA. They were also willing to follow the procedures taken by AMMA. As per procedure, the accused will receive a letter from the organisation. After hearing the accused's explanation, the person is expected to sit through three hearings only after which any action will be initiated.
The AMMA had on Sunday in a release said the actor had given a letter to the organisation saying he wants to stay away from the executive committee in light of the allegations against him as he did not want the incident to bring discredit to the organisation.
"The committee has discussed the letter given by Vijay Babu and accepted his demand," AMMA had said.
The female actor, who appeared in movies produced by Vijay Babu's production house, filed a complaint with the police on April 22 and detailed through a Facebook after the physical assault and sexual exploitation she had allegedly suffered at the hands of the producer-actor for the past one-and-a-half months.
Babu, who is untraceable since the police launched the probe, appeared in a Facebook live session on Tuesday last and claimed innocence, saying he is the "real victim."
As the producer, who is also the founder of the production company Friday Film House, disclosed the survivor's name and identity, which is an offence, another case was also filed against him.
Babu, on Friday, moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the actress rape case.
Meanwhile, another woman had raised a fresh allegation against him on Friday through a social media page. However, police have not yet registered a case in this regard as there was no official complaint.