Kochi: In an effort to intensify the search for absconding Malayalam actor Siddique, the state police chief has issued instructions to publish lookout circulars in newspapers across states. Emails have been sent to all the state DGPs, requesting their cooperation on this matter. A phone number has also been provided to newspapers so that the investigation team can be alerted if Siddique is identified in any other state. Notices featuring Siddique’s photo and the investigation team’s contact number were handed over for publication in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka newspapers on Wednesday.

Police also reported that special surveillance had been set up in Chennai and Bengaluru in search of the actor. While he remains in hiding for the second day without being apprehended, police are making moves to avoid embarrassment. To prevent him from escaping Kerala via road, search teams have been deployed at border checkpoints. Following over ten phone calls reporting sightings of Siddique, police conducted searches in various areas last night. They also searched a hotel in Varkala after receiving information that he was spotted there early in the morning.

Police stated that vacant apartments in Kochi were also searched. According to reports, investigations were conducted at some actors’ farmhouses, apartments, and homes. Phone checks were also conducted on drivers and high-profile figures in the film industry. A total of 10 teams in the field and another 10 from the cyber unit are actively involved in the search, according to police sources.

Siddique moves Supreme Court
Meanwhile, Siddique has approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Kerala High Court's decision to deny him anticipatory bail in a rape case. The actor filed the petition through his lawyer, Ranjeeta Rohatgi, following the high court’s rejection of his plea on Tuesday. Ranjeeta is a junior to senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who represented Dileep in the 2017 actor assault case. The Kerala government has filed a caveat in the apex court, requesting the opportunity to present its arguments before any decision is made on Siddique's anticipatory bail plea. 

The high court ruled that due to the severity of the allegations, Siddique's custodial interrogation was essential for a proper investigation. The court also noted that since the actor had fully denied the accusations, a potency test was pending, and there were concerns he might intimidate witnesses or tamper with evidence. The court further stated that these factors made it inappropriate to grant him bail at this stage.

Siddique is facing charges under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation). In his defence, he claims that the complainant, a female actor, has subjected him to a "prolonged campaign of harassment and false accusations" dating back to 2019. He also argued that her claims had escalated from unsubstantiated allegations of inappropriate conduct in 2016 to a more serious charge of rape. There was also a significant delay in filing the complaint.

The survivor’s legal team opposed the actor's bail plea, asserting that the state police had failed to properly investigate the case, allegedly due to the actor’s influence. The prosecution supported these arguments, insisting that Siddique's custodial interrogation was necessary to conduct a potency test and to prevent him from using his influence to interfere with the investigation.

The high court, while dismissing Siddique's claims of delay, emphasised that victims of sexual abuse often face psychological and emotional barriers that prevent them from reporting such incidents promptly.

Siddique resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following the allegations. The charges against him are part of a broader investigation involving multiple Malayalam film industry figures, following revelations of sexual harassment and exploitation from the Justice K Hema Committee’s report. The Kerala government has since established a special investigation team to probe these allegations.
(With inputs from AS Ullas.)