'MeToo' In Mollywood: Kerala Police have registered a second sexual assault case against renowned Malayalam film director Ranjith, following a complaint lodged by an aspiring actress. The case, reported by news agency ANI on Saturday, has been filed in Kozhikode.
According to ANI, Kerala Police registered a case against filmmaker Ranjith on the basis of the complaint lodged by an aspiring actress. The investigation team recorded the statement of the complainant yesterday. The case is registered in Kozhikode.
The latest complaint comes shortly after a previous case was registered against Ranjith on similar grounds. In this instance, the complainant, a young actor, has accused Ranjith of sexually assaulting him in 2012, as reported by India Today.
According to the complaint, the actor was lured to a hotel in Bengaluru under the pretext of an audition, where he alleged Ranjith coerced him into undressing and subjected him to sexual assault, promising him roles in return. The actor also claimed that he was offered money the next morning, believing the actions were part of the audition process.
The initial complaint was submitted to the Director General of Kerala Police, who has since assigned a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to evaluate the case and proceed with further investigation.
The investigation team recorded the statement of the new complainant yesterday, and they continue to gather evidence related to both cases.
Meanwhile, the sexual harassment issues come to the fore in Kerala after the release of Justice Hema Commitee report that revealed some of the dark secrets of Mollywood.