Siddique using influence to defy law in rape case, Kerala tells Supreme Court

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has informed the Supreme Court that actor Siddique, who is accused of sexual harassment, is evading arrest and challenging the law with the help of some influential people in society. In an affidavit, the government also said that the actor was hiding with the aid of these people even after the Kerala High Court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail.

The government is planning to stress these points, along with other information it has gathered during the investigation into the case, when the apex court is expected to consider the actor’s bail plea on Monday. The government will likely argue before the court that Siddique should not be granted bail as he is a celebrity who can influence people and is now refusing to obey the law.

According to the police, they have obtained evidence that Siddique is still in Kochi under the protection of certain influential people, and this fact will be conveyed to the top court. Officers added that measures taken by the police to trace the actor, including the release of a lookout notice and publication of advertisements in newspapers outside Kerala, will also be explained to the court.

A special police team led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Merin Joseph will be in New Delhi to support the government's advocates before the court. The latest government move follows widespread allegations against the authorities over the delay in arresting the actor.

Siddique is facing charges under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation). In his defence, he earlier at the High Court, 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 then 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.

Following the allegations, Siddique resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). 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.