Supreme Court extends pre-arrest bail for Malayalam actor Siddique in sexual assault case

Bench schedules case after two weeks following request by actor’s lawyer

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) extended the interim anticipatory bail granted to Malayalam actor Siddique in a sexual assault case.

A Bench headed by Justice Bela Trivedi scheduled the case after two weeks following a request made by senior advocate V. Giri, for Mr. Siddique, seeking more time to file a response to a Kerala police report seeking his custodial interrogation.

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Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar said Mr. Siddique was unwilling to cooperate with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. The SIT is currently investigating over 30 FIRs registered across Kerala after the Justice Hema Commission report blew the lid off the “shocking and rampant” sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.

The committee had found that the “general issue faced by women are sexual demands made to women for the very entry into cinema and for getting chances to work in cinema”. 

The police report, filed through Kerala State counsel Nishe Rajen Shonker, referred to the Justice Hema Committee findings “that many perpetrators are powerful and very influential. The powerful lobby in the film industry is like a mafia since it could do anything according to its whims and fancies. No man or woman dares to utter any word which may offend anyone belonging to the power group”.

When the Bench, which had initially given interim relief to Mr. Siddique in September, said the victim had delayed filing the complaint, Mr. Kumar said the balance of power was completely tilted against the woman.

The State police said the woman was threatened by Mr. Siddique immediately after the incident.

“She was told that nobody would even believe her since she was a nobody and he had a high profile stature. Further, the victim had seen him in the public domain and social media with powerful politicians and socially influential people. She was sceptical whether anyone would believe or support her if she spoke out at that time,” the police report explained.

The police said she was subject to cyber-bullying and threats. She had mustered the courage to come out of her shell after the Justice Hema Committee report.

The Kerala police said it was “essential to expose his [Siddique] lie of righteousness before he goes down in history as a hero” and added there was a “stockpile of evidence” against Mr. Siddique.

The police said Mr. Siddique had a lookout notice issued against him on September 25.

“He re-surfaced after a week once the Supreme Court granted him interim protection,” the report said.

Mr. Siddique’s “willingness’ to cooperate with the investigation was limited to appearing before the SIT. “However, he has not cooperated in the interrogation and has given evasive, contradictory and tutored answers to the police, citing forgetfulness, knowing fully well that he is under the interim protection of the Supreme Court,” the police report said.

The report said the actor had not shared details of his Facebook, Skype and other social media accounts, electronic gadgets and vehicles used in the relevant period.

Published - October 22, 2024 01:58 pm IST