Malayalam actor Siddique seeks anticipatory bail in rape case against him

Malayalam actor Siddique approached the Kerala High Court on Monday to seek anticipatory bail. He was recently accused of sexual harassment by an actor.

Malayalam Actor Siddique on Monday approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a rape case filed against him. The actor's legal move comes amid the ongoing Me Too storm, which has shaken the Malayalam film industry. (Also Read: Malayalam actor Siddique quits AMMA general secretary post over rape allegation)

Rape case against Siddique

File photo of Siddique with actors Jomol and Ananya addressing the media on the Justice Hema Committee report in August. (PTI)

The case against Siddique was filed after the police in Thiruvananthapuram registered an FIR based on a complaint from a female actor.

Earlier this week, Siddique quit as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) along with its entire 17-member executive committee following serious allegations of sexual abuse made by several female actors against prominent Malayalam cinema figures, including director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh.

An actor made allegations public on her Facebook page, accusing Siddique of rape. She also told the media, “I was a young entrant in the industry at the time. He invited me into a hotel on the pretext of discussing a film project. Such a movie did not exist. It was a trap. He sexually abused and raped me. He also physically assaulted me. I had to give up my dreams and my time, and I went through a lot of mental trauma”

Sexual assault allegations against prominant figures in the Malayalam film industry followed after the Justice Hema Committee report disclosing some shocking details of crimes against women in the industry were made public. The report containing shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals took the whole industry by storm.

The report, made public on August 19, after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, noted that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry. Since the report was published, Mohanlal quit as the president of AMMA.