Director Ranjith approaches HC for interim bail in sex abuse case; alleges conspiracy

Kochi (Kerala): Malayalam film director Ranjith on Tuesday approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with a sexual abuse case. Ranjith had last month resigned as the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy following pressure from various quarters after the Bengali actor revealed that she was called to a flat in Kochi in 2009 where Ranjith “misbehaved” with her.

Trouble started for Ranjith a few days after the release of the Justice Hema Commission report, which dealt with issues of rampant sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The case against him was registered with the Ernakulam Town police station based on an e-mail complaint by the actor. However, Ranjith, in his bail plea, dismissed all the charges against him, saying that he became “suspicious” after 15 years. He alleged that a section of people in the Academy were conspiring against him to remove him from his post.

The Hema Committee report revealed that women in the film industry face a myriad of problems including sexual demands, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of safety at workplace, inadequate basic amenities and wage disparity. So far, FIRs have been registered against nine film personalities including Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyan Pillai Raju, directors Ranjith, VK Prakash, production heads Vichu and Noble after female actors filed complaints.

Of those named as “exploiters” by victims, Mukesh was granted interim relief from arrest till Wednesday while his petition is being heard in a lower court here on Tuesday. The Vijayan government has appointed a seven-member police investigation team, including four women IPS officers, to record statements of the victims. So far, none of the “exploiters” have been summoned to appear before the investigation team. The BJP and Congress have alleged that the Vijayan government is hand-in-glove with the wrongdoers even as they claim to be with the victims.

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