SC extends interim anticipatory bail for Malayalam actor Siddique in rape case

A bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma granted Siddique relief for two more weeks.

During the hearing, the top court also took note of the fact that the complaint was filed eight years after the alleged incident.

Responding to this, the Kerala government said that such things take time because the victim has to gather the courage to complain. Even the victim's counsel made a similar statement. The counsel of the victim said that the woman has faced consequences for raising her grievances.

Siddique has approached the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail in the case.

The top court had on September 30 granted interim protection from arrest to Siddique.

Earlier, Kerala Police issued a lookout notice against actor Siddique, suspecting that he may have fled the state amid the investigation.

The notice was issued to all district police chiefs in Kerala as well as the police chiefs of all states. The actor allegedly went into hiding after the Kerala High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea.

The case, now being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala government, was registered on August 27 by the Museum Police in Thiruvananthapuram. Siddique faces charges of rape and criminal intimidation based on a complaint filed by a young actor. However, Siddique has categorically denied the allegations.

The Malayalam film industry has recently been rocked by a wave of "Me Too" allegations, with several women coming forward with claims of sexual abuse.

In response to the accusations, Siddique resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Following his resignation, the entire 17-member executive committee of AMMA also stepped down.

Serious accusations have been made by several women actors against prominent figures in the industry, including director Ranjith and actors Mukesh, Jayasurya, and Edavela Babu, among others.

The surge in allegations came after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread harassment, exploitation, and systemic mistreatment of women in the industry.

The report, made public on August 19 with names of witnesses and the accused redacted, revealed that the Malayalam film industry is dominated by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who control and influence the sector. (ANI)