Case Registered Against Malayalam Actor Sidhique Following Sexual Assault Allegations

Kerala Police has registered an FIR against Malayalam actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Sidhique after a female actor accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2016.

Kerala Police has registered an FIR against Malayalam actor Sidhique

Source : Instagram/@actor.sidhique

Kerala Police has registered an FIR against Malayalam actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Sidhique after a female actor accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2016.

A rape case registered against Sidhique

According to PTI, an FIR has been lodged at the Museum police station in Thiruvananthapuram under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The alleged incident took place in 2016, prompting the legal action under the Indian Penal Code.

Malayalam film industry and sexual harassment allegations

This development marks the second FIR against a prominent figure in the Malayalam film industry following a series of sexual harassment allegations that have come to light after the revelations made in the Justice Hema Committee report. The first FIR was filed against director Ranjith under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage a woman's modesty). A female actor from West Bengal accused Ranjith of inappropriate behavior during the making of the film 'Paleri Manikyam' in 2009, alleging that he touched her with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie.

In response to these allegations, Ranjith stepped down from his position as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy. Similarly, Siddique resigned from his role as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following the accusations against him.

The Justice Hema Committee report

The Justice Hema Committee, established by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, unveiled numerous instances of harassment and exploitation within the Malayalam film industry. In light of the growing number of allegations, the state government announced the formation of a seven-member special investigation team on August 25 to investigate these cases. Since then, more complaints have surfaced, shedding light on the ongoing issues of sexual harassment and exploitation in the industry.