Kochi: Malayalam film actor Siddique, who faces allegations of raping a female artist eight years ago, is set to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The actor communicated his willingness to appear for questioning via email to the SIT.
A member of the SIT told Onmanorama that Siddique has confirmed his intention to appear for questioning. " He has expressed his willingness to co-operate with the investigation. The team will now set a date for questioning and proceed with further actions," a top police official said.
In August, the Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram booked the actor in a rape case after receiving a complaint from a female actor. The young actor filed her complaint against Siddique following the release of the Hema Committee report. She alleged that Siddique raped her at the Mascot Hotel in the capital city on January 28, 2016, after the preview show of a movie.
On September 24, the Kerala High Court denied Siddique's anticipatory bail in the rape case, stating that due to the seriousness of the allegations, custodial interrogation was necessary for a proper investigation. Siddique, charged under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), claimed in his plea that the complainant has subjected him to a "prolonged campaign of harassment and false accusations since 2019." However, on September 30, the Supreme Court granted him interim protection from arrest.