Kerala police file fresh complaint of sexual assault against Ranjith

A Kozhikode-based man has filed a complaint alleging that the director forced him to strip naked and also sexually assaulted him in 2012

Days after the Kerala police booked Malayalam filmmaker-screenwriter Ranjith on charges of misbehaviour with a Bengali actress, a Kozhikode-based man has filed a complaint alleging that the director forced him to strip naked and also sexually assaulted him in 2012.

The complainant alleged that he came in contact with Ranjith during the shooting of the film ‘Bavuttiyude Namathil’ in Kozhikode in December 2012 (File photo)

The 33-year-old survivor told HT that he has spoken to women officers of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala police over the phone and sent an official complaint via email to state director general of police Shaik Darvesh Saheb informing them about the assault.

The man alleged that he came in contact with Ranjith during the shooting of the film ‘Bavuttiyude Namathil’ in Kozhikode in December 2012. When asked for a role in a film, Ranjith wrote his mobile number on a tissue paper and asked him to text him in a few days.

“When I texted him after a few days, he asked me to come to a five-star hotel in Bengaluru where he was staying at the time. When I entered the fourth-floor room, he was alone and drinking alcohol. He offered me some alcohol which I initially refused as I had never had a drink before. But he insisted and I couldn’t say no. I was very excited and nervous at the same time,” the survivor said.

“Afterward, his approach changed. He forced me to strip naked saying that he wanted to see my body. And then he took some photos of me. Then, he went on to sexually assault me. The things he did to me were extremely terrible and I cannot describe them,” he added.

After the incident, the man claimed, he tried to contact Ranjith a couple of times to question him, but his calls and messages were ignored.

“Once, I got a message from someone claiming to be Ranjith’s wife asking not to call or text anymore. But I am sure that was Ranjith itself.” he added.

For several months following the alleged assault, the man said he was in a “lot of trauma” and that he couldn’t gather the courage to speak about it to anyone.

“Back then, I was just 21 with a normal family background. Ranjith, on the other hand, was an extremely influential figure. Even if I had spoken about it, no one would have believed me. Moreover, I had no guts to speak out,” he said.

The Kozhikode-based man claimed that he decided to come out against Ranjith in the wake of the release of the Hema committee report and the allegations of misbehaviour raised by the Bengali actress against him.

The Hema committee report has shone light on deep injustices against women in the Malayalam film industry, particularly sexual harassment, and an all-male power group that allegedly called the shots.

“Even today, as I have filed the complaint against him, I am scared of the consequences against me. I am not a celebrity. I am a normal person. But I want the truth to come out. There must be action against Ranjith,” he told HT.

The SIT, he said, is expected to record his statement on Friday.