Malayalam actor Minu Muneer arrested, released on bail after actor-director Balachandra Menon accuses her of defamation

Malayalam actor Minu Muneer was arrested by the Kochi Cyber Police following a defamation complaint filed by veteran filmmaker and actor Balachandra Menon.

Malayalam actor Minu Muneer was arrested by the Kochi Cyber Police following a defamation complaint filed by veteran filmmaker and actor Balachandra Menon. The arrest stems from allegations Muneer made on social media, which Menon claimed were defamatory in nature. She was released on bail shortly after being taken into custody.

Balachandra Menon filed a complaint on Minu Muneer for defamation.

Minu Muneer arrested and released on bail

The Kerala High Court had earlier dismissed her anticipatory bail plea. She is the first accused in the case, which was registered in 2024. She reportedly made repeated derogatory posts about him on social media. Minu Muneer also filed a complaint against actor and MLA M Mukesh, who represents the Kollam Assembly constituency and is a leader of the CPI(M). Meanwhile, the arrest marks a new development in a controversy that has roiled the Malayalam film industry in recent months.

Sexual assault accusations

In a series of social media posts and subsequent interviews, Muneer had publicly accused several prominent industry figures of sexual misconduct and abuse during their professional collaborations. In August last year, Muneer named actors Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu, alleging both verbal and physical harassment. She also mentioned Advocate Chandrasekharan, production controller Noble, and an individual named Vichu.

"I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, Jayasoorya, Advocate Chandrasekharan, production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industry," she wrote, claiming the incidents forced her to leave the Malayalam film industry and shift to Chennai.

In a detailed account given to ANI, Muneer expanded on her allegations. "Once, as I was coming out from the toilet, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and even kissed me forcefully... After that, Idavela Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me," she said. She also accused actor-producer Maniyanpilla Raju of making inappropriate suggestions about her hotel stay during a film shoot, describing his behaviour as "unprofessional and unsettling."

The incidents she referred to reportedly date back to 2013. The allegations surfaced in the wake of growing dissent within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), following unrelated controversies that led to the resignations of director Ranjith and actor Siddique from their posts in the organisation.