Malayalam actor Minu Muneer (45) was arrested by the Kochi City Cybercrime Police on Monday in connection with a cyber defamation case filed by veteran actor-director Balachandra Menon. The case stems from alleged obscene and defamatory remarks made by Muneer against Menon on social media platforms.
The arrest came after the Kerala High Court dismissed her anticipatory bail plea and directed her to surrender. Following her appearance at the cybercrime police station, she was granted bail in accordance with the High Court’s instructions.
Co-Accused and Legal Provisions Involved
Minu Muneer is one of two individuals named in the case. The second accused has been identified as 45-year-old Sangeeth Luis.
The FIR was filed on October 2, 2024, and both accused have been booked under the following sections:
-
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 351(2): Criminal intimidation
-
Information Technology Act Section 67: Publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form
-
Kerala Police Act Section 120(o): Causing nuisance via repeated or undesirable communication
Allegations Against the Accused
As per the First Information Report (FIR), Muneer allegedly posted repeated derogatory content about Balachandra Menon, including sharing his photo and provoking vulgar comments from the public.
The second accused, Sangeeth Luis, is accused of making threatening phone calls to Menon on September 13 and 14, 2024.
Timing of Posts Linked to Hema Committee Report Release
The controversial posts surfaced soon after the release of the Hema Committee Report, which highlighted serious allegations of abuse and misconduct against women within the Malayalam film industry. While the report reignited discussions about workplace conduct in the industry, it also seemingly triggered a wave of reactions on social media—one of which allegedly involved actress Minu Muneer’s posts.