The shockwaves sent across the country by the Justice Hema Committee report, which revealed the extreme discrimination and exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, have started yielding positive results with the state machinery cracking down on those accused of sexual misconduct. While the probe by the Special Investigation Team — constituted by the state government to address the allegations raised by numerous survivors — progresses, actor Siddique, previously booked on rape charges, faced a significant setback on Tuesday when the Kerala High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail application.
Hours after the court’s decision, a lookout circular was issued against him at airports, with Mathrubhumi reporting that sources indicate the actor is absconding and has turned off his phone. Police sources told the media outlet that there are no technical grounds to delay Siddique’s arrest. According to Asianet News, the actor is also not at his residence in Kochi.
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Last month, following the release of the Hema committee report, the complainant publicly accused the actor of inviting her to a hotel in the state capital under the pretext of discussing a film, where he allegedly raped and assaulted her in 2016. This led to Siddique’s resignation from his position of general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). The woman subsequently filed a complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram city police, resulting in an FIR for rape and criminal intimidation.
Although Siddique denied the allegations, claiming they are part of a “criminal conspiracy to tarnish the reputation of the entire Malayalam film industry,” he is the only one among the many male industry insiders facing sexual misconduct allegations who has not been granted anticipatory bail.
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While hearing the case, Justice CS Dias of the High Court stated that the submission made by the Senior Counsel representing the actor — claiming that the complainant lacked credibility — was unwarranted.
“A women’s experiences of sexual assault are not a reflection of her character but rather an indication of her suffering. The attempt to blame a woman for speaking out maybe a strategy to silence her, which is hostile to the supremacy of law,” Live Law quoted Justice Dias as saying.
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