Actor Siddique Gets Anticipatory Bail From Supreme Court In Rape Case
The top court granted bail to Siddique after noting that the complainant lodged her complaint after 8 years
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Malayalam actor Siddique in a rape case against him based on allegations levelled by a young actress.
The top court granted bail to Siddique after noting that the complainant lodged her complaint after 8 years, and posted the allegations on Facebook but did not go to the Justice Hema Committee report set up by the Kerala High Court.
A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma granted bail to the Malayalam actor today.
Justice Bela Trivedi while hearing the case today asked that how come the actress had the courage to post on Facebook but not go to the police.
"We deem it appropriate not to assign elaborate reasons, particularly considering the sensitivity of the case. However, considering the fact that the complainant had filed the complaint almost eight years after the alleged incident which had taken place in 2016 and the complainant had also posted the posts on Facebook somewhere in 2018 making allegations about 14 people including the appellant with regard to the alleged sexual abuse and also the fact that she had not gone to the Hema Committee, which was set up by the Government of Kerala, we are inclined to accept the present appeal," the bench said while passing the order.
In a big relief to Malayalam actor Siddique, the Supreme Court on September 30 granted him an interim protection from arrest in a rape case registered against him based on allegations by a Malayalam actress. The bench had later extended the interim protection on subsequent hearings. Today the top court granted him pre-arrest bail.
On September 24, the Kerala High Court dismissed his petition seeking anticipatory bail, observing that the materials on record indicated his prima facie involvement in the crime. The High Court also held that the acts alleged against Siddique would come within the ambit of the expanded definition of "rape".
Actor Siddique then moved the top court against this high court order seeking anticipatory bail. The Kerala High Court while rejecting Siddique's bail plea has said that acts alleged against Siddique would come within the ambit of the expanded definition of "rape".
A young actress came forward alleging that Siddique sexually exploited her in 2016 when she met him in a hotel room after he offered her opportunities in the film industry. Following this complaint, the actor was forced to step down as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).
Following her allegations, the young actress filed an FIR alleging rape and criminal intimidation by Siddique.
The case against Siddique came in the aftermath of the Justice Hema Committee report on sexual harassment and gender inequality against women in Malayalam cinema.
Justice Hema Committee came across stories of despair not only from women, but also from men in the Malayalam Film industry. From hidden spy cameras, rampant sexual harassment since the black and white era, to no toilets for woman on sets, the report made several glaring revelations about exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.
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