Some more Mollywood stars booked for rape and assault

Protest in parts of Kerala following the Hema committee report. File pics/X

Well-known names of Malayalam cinema, including CPI (M) MLA K Mukesh and Jayasurya have been booked by the police for rape and sexual assault of a woman colleague, prompting voices from the ruling coalition on Thursday for the former to step down as a legislator amid an intensifying political slugfest involving the LDF and the opposition.

Senior CPI leader Annie Raja urged Mukesh to step down as an MLA, after he was booked for rape on Wednesday night based on the complaint of a female actor. Amid Congress' attack, the CPI (M)-led LDF threw its weight behind Mukesh. The ripple effect caused by the Justice K Hema Committee report findings saw other actors - Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, being booked.

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Actor Jayasurya and CPI (M) MLA and actor K Mukesh

The complainant, who has appeared in a handful of movies, levelled allegations against Mukesh, Jayasurya and Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu who held a prominent role in the actors' association. In a Facebook post, the woman actor had said, "I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of 1 Mukesh 2 Maniyan Pilla Raju, 3 Idavela Babu, 4 Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), 5 adv Chandrasekaran, 6 production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industry."

"In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable," the actress alleged. A rape case was registered last night against actor and CPI(M) MLA Mukesh following actor's allegation that he sexually assaulted her years ago.

LDF backs Mukesh

The ruling LDF in Kerala threw its weight behind CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, booked in a rape case, saying that the two Congress legislators who are accused in sexual assault cases should resign first before the Malayalam actor's resignation is sought. At the same time, LDF convener E P Jayarajan also said that neither the CPI(M) nor the Left govt will protect any wrongdoers in any of the cases registered on the allegations against various actors and directors. Jayarajan was responding to reporters' queries on whether Mukesh will resign or not. He said that earlier, much bigger sexual assault cases were lodged against two other MLAs who had not resigned.

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