Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate allegations of sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. However, it has been revealed that the team was formed without adhering to the requisite procedures.
The Chief Minister's office issued a press release on Sunday announcing the formation of the SIT. Still, the Home Department has yet to issue the official government order required to legitimise it. The SIT, formed under Section 21(2)(B) of the Kerala Police Act, will be led by Inspector General G Sparjan Kumar and supervised by Additional Director General of Police H Venkatesh from the Crime Branch.
However, the SIT will only receive its investigative powers once the government order is officially released. In previous cases like the Solar scam, SIT formations followed this legal procedure. Since this SIT was announced via a press release from the Chief Minister's office, its authority to conduct a thorough investigation could be legally challenged. Critics may argue that the team was not constituted in accordance with the Kerala Police Act.
Given this backdrop, the SIT's scope will likely be limited to specific complaints against individuals rather than a broad investigation covering the entire industry. Although the team can take over cases registered at local police stations, it will lack the authority to file new cases based on the evidence and assessments it gathers. The investigation could stall if witnesses retract their complaints or statements.
The state government, initially indifferent to the wave of disclosures regarding sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry, was pressured into forming the SIT. However, it notably excluded the Justice Hema Committee report—an investigation based on witness statements and evidence—from the SIT's purview.
By omitting this report, which contains critical details, the government has effectively limited the SIT's authority and its ability to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the widespread issue of sexual exploitation in the film industry.
