#MeToo in Mollywood

Rape case: Siddique moves HC seeking anticipatory bail

Kochi: Malayalam actor Siddique on Monday moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the rape case against him. Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram slapped non-bailable charges under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) against the actor after receiving a complaint from a female actor.

The complainant, who started her career as a junior artist and acted in Telugu and Malayalam films, filed a complaint with the state police chief via email on Tuesday. A team led by a Sub Inspector from Museum Police station recorded the actor's statement.

Police conducted an evidence collection at Mascot Hotel here and confirmed that Siddique and the complainant took accommodation there on the same day. On Sunday, the probe took the complainant to the hotel to identify the room where the senior actor raped her. She told police that Siddique raped her at room number 101 D of the hotel on January 28, 2016.  The police also recorded the statement of the complainant's friend, who accompanied her to the hotel.

The case was registered under the IPC as the offence allegedly occurred in 2016. In her complaint, the woman alleged that Siddique sexually assaulted her at Mascot hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. Siddique resigned from his post as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following the allegations against him. But he rubbished the woman's allegations against him and filed a complaint with the DGP alleging conspiracy.

Apart from Siddique, actors Mueksh, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpilla Raju and director Ranjith were booked in sexual assault cases. More women raised sexual assault allegations against prominant figures in the Malayalam film industry after Hema Committee report disclosed shocking details of crimes against women in the industry.