The Malayalam industry has been facing a lot of controversy since the Hema Committee report case has been out in public, and many well-known actors’ names have been in the news.
Malayalam actor Siddique got arrested on December 6 in connection with the ongoing sexual abuse case of an actress. The new move takes place after the actor was already awarded an interim bail by the Supreme Court back on November 19.
However, the actor is likely to be released soon and will be produced at the court as well. Siddique’s anticipatory bail was previously rejected by the Kerala High Court. During the last session at the apex court, it was the victim who was questioned for her silence over 8 years on the matter, post which she chose to unravel the truth via social media instead of lodging a complaint at her nearest police station.
The session court, led by Justice Bela M. Trivedi, reportedly questioned the victim, Revathy, reprimanded her, and stated, “You had the courage to post on Facebook but not go to the police station?”
In defense, Revathy, through her judicial council, remarked that it wasn’t until the reports and findings of the Hema Committee Report that she got the confidence that she would come out with the truth and that the authorities would listen to her grievance.
Sometime earlier, senior advocates associated with Siddique’s case had highlighted that the actor had only met Revathy just once, and thus there was no question of sexual abuse that could have happened at that time.
The actor had previously denied the sexual abuse charges and had mentioned that his first meeting with the claimant in fact happened in front of her parents’ presence. Moreover, in the eight and a half years that have passed since, there have been absolutely no chances of any sexual abuse that has taken place.
Through an open letter addressed to the Kerala police, Siddique had mentioned, “I have seen the actor only on the day of the preview screening of the film ‘Sukhamayirikatte.’ That was in January or February of 2016. On that day, she had met me and talked to me in the presence of her parents. No incident of rape as alleged by her for the first time now after over 8 and a half years has occurred. No incident of ‘sexual misbehavior’ or ‘verbal sexual offering’ as alleged by her five years ago has also occurred.”
These kinds of reports have been in the news for quite some time now, and the quick response to these incidents is appreciated, but the delay in the verdicts is still something to be concerned about. As it will have an effect on the victims and everything they would have to go through.
Actress Parvathy was seen talking about the Hema Committee Report and supporting the victims.