Supreme Court grants interim protection from arrest to Malayalam actor Siddique in rape case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to Malayalam film actor Siddique in a rape case. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma issued notice to the Kerala government and the victim in the case during the hearing of a plea by Siddique against a Kerala High Court order denying him interim bail .

The top court initially asked lawyer Vrinda Grover, appearing on behalf of the victim, about the reason for the delay in registering the complaint against the actor.

The lawyer told the court that the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed the shocking harassment and sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, must be understood in the broader context.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Siddique, submitted that a complaint was filed in 2024 after a lapse of eight years.

On September 24, the Supreme Court had rejected Siddique’s anticipatory bail plea in the rape case, saying that considering the seriousness of the charges he was facing, his custodial interrogation was inevitable for proper investigation into the crime.

Siddique, who was charged with offenses under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), has alleged in his plea that the complaining female actor had subjected him to a ‘prolonged campaign of intimidation and false accusations’. allegations since 2019″.

Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high-profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against them in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.