24 September,2024 02:17 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
Siddique
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Malayalam film actor Siddique in a rape case registered against him based on a complaint by an actress.
"Application is dismissed," Justice C S Dias said.
The detailed order giving reasons for rejecting the actor's plea is not yet available.
Siddique, who was booked for offences under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), has claimed in his plea that the complainant female actor, has subjected him to the "prolonged campaign of harassment and false accusations since 2019".
ALSO READ
Kerala high court grants abortion for minor rape victim after ruling overturned
Kerala HC directs SIT to investigate alleged use of drug, alcohol on film sets
Hema Committee impact: Actor Siddique seeks anticipatory bail
Hema Commmittee report: Jayasurya stays back in New York fearing arrest
Veterinary student suicide case: Kerala HC grants bail to 19 accused
In his anticipatory bail plea, he further claimed that she had repeatedly, for the past five years, made unsubstantiated and false claims of sexual misbehaviour and 'verbal sexual offers' by him in a theatre in 2016.
"But now she has raised totally contradictory allegation of more serious crime of rape at a different place in the same year," he had said in his plea.
Siddique had resigned from his post as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following the allegations against him.
Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high-profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.
The committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.
Following the allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
