"ranjith"

Malayalam director Ranjith was remanded to 14-day judicial custody in a sexual assault case filed by a young actress. Police arrested him after an attempted evasion, while the Kerala government assured strict action and support for the survivor

The court made it clear that all who have complaints must register it with the nodal officer before January 31.

The actress had accused several male actors, including CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, of sexual abuse, a few years ago.

The special bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C. S. Sudha, hearing the matters relating to the Justice Hema Committee report, decided to appoint advocate Mitha Sudhindran to assist the court.

Trouble began for Siddique when on September 24, the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail.

A Kerala Police team probing the case came searching for the actor at his two residences here but failed to find him. The two mobile numbers that the star uses were also found to be switched off.

Presently, those who are in the dock include actor-turned-CPI(M) legislator Mukesh Madhavan, Nivin Pauly, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpilla Raju, directors Ranjith and Prakash, and production executives Vichu and Noble.

The director was released on bail soon after, as he had secured anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court early this month.

Named the Progressive Film Makers, the new organisation has Aashiq Abu, his actress wife Rima Kallingal, and popular directors Anjali Menon, Lijo Jose Perilassery, and Rajiv Ravi, among others, behind it.

Veteran actor Maniyanpilla Raju, however, got a major relief as the charges against him are available and hence, his anticipatory bail plea was allowed by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court.

Ranjith, in his bail plea, dismissed all the allegations against him and said he was being "implicated" after 15 years.

Siddique, the former General Secretary of the AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes) who moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a rape case filed against him by an actress.

The charges against Ranjith created an uproar as they came in the wake of the Hema Committee report which was made public recently, exposing 'rampant sexual abuse' in the Malayalam film industry.

He candidly said that there have been lapses on the part of AMMA and that strong action should have been taken in the past.

The Vijayan government has been facing flak since the long-delayed report came out and the situation was exacerbated when two leading film personalities had to step down from their posts when two different women actors came forward to accuse them of sexual harassment.

Female actor also levelled sexual abuse allegations against three other prominent actors in the Malayalam film industry

Says he doesn't want to continue in the position as it would adversely impact the reputation of the Left government in the State

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian declined to entertain a plea filed by Ranjith K.K. against a Delhi High Court order.