HC forms special bench to hear petitions on Hema panel report

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KOCHI: The Kerala HC on Thursday constituted a special division bench to hear petitions related to Judge K Hema Commission report on working conditions of women in the film industry. The bench, comprising Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and CS Sudha, was constituted on the orders of Acting Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque.
During the morning session of the court, a bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice examined the need for a special bank in response to an appeal filed by film producer Sajimon Parayil against a court order to make the Hema Commission report public.
Four other petitions linked to the report are now pending before the HC. One of them, filed by Paichira Navas of Thiruvananthapuram, seeks criminal proceedings against those involved in the incidents detailed in the report. The division bench, while considering this petition, had directed the Kerala government to submit the entire report in a sealed envelope to determine what action could be taken. It had also indicted the Kerala Women’s Commission in the petition and posted the matter for September 10.
Two Kochi-based lawyers, A Jannath and Amrutha Premjith, have approached the Supreme Court with a PIL seeking a declaration. CBI investigation inside allegations of sexual abuse detailed in the report.
In another petition, Kozhikode police chief TP Nandakumar seeks a directive to the state police chief to register an FIR against those responsible for the offences detailed in the report.
Former MP Joseph M Puthusserry has also filed a PIL, requesting the police to take appropriate action based on the findings of the Hema committee.
A substantial portion of the Hema Commission report, after omitting references to individuals to protect their privacy, was released on August 19, containing shocking observations about sexual exploitation and disregard for women’s rights in the industry.
The panel, formed after the 2017 elections actor attack case with actor Dileep, submitted his report in 2019, but the government kept it under wraps for nearly five years, citing sensitive information. The government has set up an SIT to investigate allegations of sexual abuse that surfaced in the industry after the publication of the Hema committee report.