In a significant development, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday, 24 September, dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of popular Malayalam film actor Siddique, who is accused in a rape case. Justice C.S. Dias presided over the case, succinctly stating, “Application is dismissed,” without providing an immediate detailed rationale for the decision.
The allegations against Siddique stem from a complaint by a female actress, leading to charges under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. According to the complaint, the actress accused Siddique of engaging in a pattern of sexual harassment that escalated to rape in 2016.
In his anticipatory bail application, Siddique claimed that the complainant had been waging a “prolonged campaign of harassment and false accusations since 2019.” He alleged that she had made repeated claims over the past five years regarding sexual misbehavior and verbal sexual advances that purportedly occurred in a theatre. Siddique argued that the complainant’s recent allegations of rape were entirely contradictory to her earlier accusations, suggesting a fabrication of the more serious charge.
This legal setback for Siddique comes after his resignation from the position of general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), reflecting the gravity of the allegations against him.
The case is part of a broader scandal in the Malayalam film industry, where multiple FIRs have been registered against various high-profile personalities following the release of the Justice K. Hema Committee report. This report, initiated by the Kerala government in the aftermath of the 2017 actress assault case, exposed widespread harassment and exploitation within the industry. In response, on 25 August, the state government established a seven-member special investigation team to investigate these allegations thoroughly.
