Malayalam actor M Mukesh willing to cooperate in sexual abuse probe, says lawyer

Ernakulam, Kerala:

Malayalam actor and CPI(M) MP M Mukesh’s lawyer has said that his client is willing to cooperate with the police investigation into the case filed against him over allegations of sexual harassment by a woman actor.

Attorney Geo Paul also stated that the investigation team should gather as much evidence as possible. If the allegations are proven to be false, the police can draw up a report.

“He has provided some evidence which I have to present in court on Monday. He has even expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation, he is ready to give a statement as required by the police,” Geo Paul told ANI.

“Collecting the evidence does not mean that they are going to collect the evidence only in favour of the victim. They will collect as much evidence as possible. If her allegations are found to be false, they can file a referral report. We are ready to cooperate, that is our position,” he added.

The lawyer also questioned the delay the victim had in filing a complaint against the actor. According to him, she was a highly educated woman and should have filed a complaint immediately after the alleged incident.

“You also have to realize that these allegations are coming after 15 years. Where was she? She should have filed a complaint then and there,” he said.

The first information report against Mukesh was filed under Section 376 (rape), a non-bailable offence, Sections 354 (assault or force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (insulting a woman by words, sounds, gestures or objects) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Ernakulam district court on Thursday directed the investigating officer not to arrest him till September 3 after noting that there was no chance of him “escaping the clutches of law”.

Mukesh was booked on the complaint of actress Minu Muneer.

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment of women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contains shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation and abuse of female professionals.

The report, which was released after redacting the names of witnesses and suspects, said the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors and actors who dominate and exercise control over the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court, set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.

Following the publication of the Hema Justice Commission report, allegations of sexual harassment have been made against a number of actors in the Malayalam film industry.

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