Sexual assault case: Film director Ranjith moves Kerala HC seeking anticipatory bail plea

Kochi, Sep 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Malayalam film director Ranjith on Tuesday filed a petition seeking interim bail in the Kerala High Court in connection with a sexual abuse case.

Ranjith resigned as the chairperson of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy last month after he faced pressure from several quarters after the Bengali actress revealed that she was called to an apartment in Kochi in 2009 where Ranjith “misbehaved” with her.

Ranjith’s troubles began days after the release of the Justice Hema Commission report, which detailed the widespread sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.

The case against him was registered with the Ernakulam city police station based on an email complaint from the actress.

Ranjith, however, rejected all allegations against him in his bail plea, saying he was still ‘involved’ after 15 years.

He alleged that a section of the Academy was plotting to remove him from office.

The Hema Commission report found that women in the film industry face numerous problems, including sexual demands, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of safety in the workplace, inadequate basic facilities and wage gaps.

So far, FIRs have been registered against nine film stars, including Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyan Pillai Raju, directors Ranjith, VK Prakash and production heads Vichu and Noble, after female actresses filed complaints.

Among those labelled as “exploiters” by victims, Mukesh was granted interim protection from arrest until Wednesday, even as his petition is heard in a lower court on Tuesday.

The Vijayana government has appointed a seven-member police investigation team, including four women IPS officers, to record statements of the victims.

So far, not a single ‘exploiter’ has been summoned to appear before the investigation team.

The BJP and the Congress alleged that the Vijayana government is hand in hand with the criminals, while they themselves claim that they are hand in hand with the victims.

Source: IANS

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