Malayalam filmmaker Kunju Muhammed arrested and released on bail in molestation case of woman from film industry

Malayalam filmmaker Kunju Muhammed had secured an anticipatory bail from the court ahead of his arrest for alleged molestation.

Malayalam filmmaker and former MLA, PT Kunju Muhammed, has been arrested in connection with an molestation case involving a woman from the film industry. He approached the court last weekend to seek anticipatory bail in the case days before his arrest. Muhammed was released on bail after his arrest was recorded.

Kunju Muhammed, who is being accused of molestation, is a Malayalam filmmaker and a former MLA.

Kunju Muhammed arrested and released on bail

On Wednesday, police confirmed to PTI that filmmaker and former MLA Muhammed was arrested in connection with an alleged molestation. He appeared before officials probing the case at the Cantonement Police Station on Tuesday, and his arrest was formally recorded.

On Saturday, December 20, Muhammed had approached a Kochi court to secure anticipatory bail. The public prosecutor opposed the bail plea, citing that the ‘allegations were serious in nature’ and that the bail could ‘affect the investigation’. However, Additional District and Sessions Judge Rekha R granted him relief after hearing both arguments.

The case against Kunju Muhammed

Early in December, the Cantonment Police registered a case against Muhammed following a complaint by a woman alleging that the filmmaker had molested her. She claimed the incident took place at a hotel where they were staying to select films for the recently held International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).

Muhammed’s defence has argued that the allegations against him were false and pointed out that the ‘complaint was initially submitted to the chief minister (Pinarayi Vijayan) rather than the police’. He was directed by the court to appear before the investigating officer for interrogation within seven days and to cooperate with the investigation. The police were instructed to release the filmmaker-former MLA on bail if he were arrested during the investigation.

Who is Kunju Muhammed?

Muhammed is a director and producer in the Malayalam film industry. A graduate of Mathematics from St. Thomas College, Thrissur, he debuted in Mollywood with the 1993 film Magrib with Sreenivasan. He has directed critically acclaimed films such as Garshom (1998), Paradeshi (2007) with Mohanlal, and Veeraputhran (2011).

He is one of the founding directors of Kairali TV and currently presents the program Pravasalokam on it. Muhammed was elected twice to the Kerala legislative assembly as a Left Independent candidate in 1994 and 1996. He is married to Ayishabi, and they have two children. Muhammed has yet to make a statement on these allegations.