The Kerala High Court on Thursday acknowledged significant progress in the ongoing investigation of cases linked to the Justice Hema Committee report, which documented allegations of sexual assault and harassment within the Malayalam film industry. Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.S. Sudha, presiding over a special division bench, reviewed the state government’s report on the investigation, which includes 26 FIRs (First Information Reports).
During the court session, the Advocate General (AG) representing the state and police informed the bench that while investigations are advancing, challenges remain as complainants in five cases are hesitant to cooperate, and in three cases, individuals have retracted their statements.
In response to the severity of the allegations, the state government had earlier formed a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on August 25 to thoroughly investigate the claims. The SIT has since received the complete, unedited copy of the Hema Committee report as ordered by the High Court.
Further, the court has appointed an amicus curiae to coordinate the gathering of various reports, suggestions, and potential draft legislation addressing sexual harassment in the film industry. The state is also preparing draft legislation aimed at tackling these issues, which the court agreed to consider.
The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), actively involved in advocating for the rights of women in the industry and a party to the ongoing petitions, announced its plans to submit a new petition to the court. Recognizing the importance of community input, the bench welcomed all suggestions but clarified that it would not draft legislation itself, only offer recommendations.
