Thiruvananthapuram / Kochi: The court will review anticipatory bail pleas related to sexual harassment cases in the film industry on Monday. The hearing comes after actor Mukesh was granted five days' protection from arrest. The investigation team is closely monitoring whether Mukesh will receive anticipatory bail before this period ends. Additionally, the anticipatory bail plea of KPCC legal aid cell chairman and Lawyers Congress' leader VS Chandrasekharan will be considered today.
If the court decides to extend the stay on arrests, the investigation team will convene to determine their next steps. Since most of these incidents occurred years back, the team is exploring how to proceed if evidence proves insufficient. The investigations are currently guided by the Supreme Court's ruling that cases can be pursued based on the survivor's testimony alone.
Evidence Collection
The investigation team has been active in gathering evidence, conducting inspections at several locations in Kochi, including the AMMA office, a hotel in Kathrikadavu, and another hotel in Fort Kochi. The AMMA office was inspected following an actress's complaint that she was harassed when she approached the organization for membership. This inspection is part of a broader investigation involving Edavela Babu and Mukesh.
The evidence collection at the Kathrikadavu hotel pertains to a sexual harassment case filed against director Ranjith, based on a complaint by a Bengali actress. The team focused on the hotel where the actress stayed on the day of the incident. Documentary filmmaker Joshi Joseph, who provided a statement in the case, was brought to the hotel to aid in the evidence collection. Old registers and other documents were scrutinised to verify the actress's stay.
In Fort Kochi, the investigation team inspected a hotel on Dispensary Road as part of a complaint against actor Maniyanpilla Raju. The actor had stayed at this hotel during the shooting of the movie 'Da Thadiya.' However, the requested 2012 register was unavailable. The survivor identified the room she had stayed in for the police.
17 cases registered
In the wake of the Hema Committee report, 17 cases have been registered concerning sexual harassment and abuse allegations in the film industry. Initially, 17 complaints were received, some of which were not directly submitted. The victims were identified, and complaints were subsequently filed. Actors Siddique, Mukesh, and Edavela Babu have been charged with rape.
The complainant against actor Baburaj has informed authorities that she is currently travelling but is willing to provide her statement online. A case may be registered once her statement is received. VS Chandrasekharan faces charges of harassment, while others have been charged under Section 354 of the IPC for outraging a woman's modesty through force.
Ranjith's case to be transferred to Bengaluru
The case against Ranjith, based on allegations of unnatural sexual abuse of a young man, will be handed over to Bengaluru Police by Kasaba Police since the alleged crime took place in a Bengaluru hotel. No further action will be taken in Kerala regarding the complaint by a junior artist that she was harassed on the set of the movie 'Bro Daddy,' as the Hyderabad Police have already registered a case.
Procedure for handling complaints
For each complaint, a female officer will record the statement, which will then be forwarded to the police station where the crime occurred. Superintendents of Police (SPs) in the Special Investigation Team will assess the legal aspects, determine the applicable sections, and instruct the stations to register an FIR. These FIRs will be submitted to IG G Sparjan Kumar, who heads the investigation team. The investigation was launched following a special order from the DGP. The Special Investigation Team is receiving complaints both via email and in person, including some from men claiming they are owed money.
