Kerala woman actor who lodged sexual harassment complaints against 7 film personalities, including Mukesh, set to back out

She cites ‘lack of support from society, government and media’ as reason for withdrawing complaints

The Aluva-based woman actor who had lodged complaints of rape and sexual harassment against prominent Malayalam film personalities, including actors M. Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Edavela Babu, seems set to withdraw her complaints citing “lack of support from the society, government and the media.”

She announced her intention through a social media post. She said that she had earlier come forward for the good of society and to ensure that no one dared to demand “adjustment from women entering the film industry any more.”

“However, the government failed to prove the fake case registered against me under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. No media came forward to support me. So, I am going to withdraw all the cases. Despite knowing that the POCSO case was fake, no attempt has been made to nab the woman who lodged the complaint or the ones behind her. So, I am backing out from everything,” read her post in a WhatsApp group.

The complaint was lodged against her by one of her relatives.

Her complaints in the wake of the release of the Hema Committee report had stirred up a hornet’s nest and triggered a flurry of complaints against film personalities. She claims that she will be sending a e-mail shortly informing the special investigation team (SIT) probing the cases based on complaints in the wake of the Hema Committee report that she is withdrawing her complaints.

The SIT could not be reached for a response.

Mr. Mukesh, an MLA from the ruling CPI(M), was booked under Section 376 (rape), a non-bailable offence, Section 354 (assault or criminal force to women with intent to outrage her modesty), and 509 (insult the modesty of a woman by word, sound, gesture or object) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was arrested and released on bail.

The case had turned out to be a political hot potato for the CPI(M) after the Opposition Congress and the BJP launched Statewide protests demanding Mr. Mukesh’s resignation as a legislator.

Edavela Babu, actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), too was booked on the same charges. V.S. Chandrasekharan, who had to step down as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) legal aid cell chairman and president of the Lawyers’ Congress State committee, was booked under IPC Sections 376 (rape) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

Maniyanpilla Raju, actor and former office-bearer of AMMA, and production controller Noble were booked under IPC Sections 354 and 509. All these five accused were among the seven named by the actor in as many petitions filed with the SIT in August, 2024. Following this, a team of the SIT had recorded the statement of the petitioner at her apartment.

The police also registered an FIR against a production controller, identified as Vichu, who was one among the alleged perpetrators named by the woman actor.

Actor Jayasurya was booked for allegedly sexually harassing the survivor at the State Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram during a film shoot years ago. The police registered a case invoking non-bailable provisions, including Sections 354 (outraging the modesty of women) and 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC.

Mr. Jayasurya was accused of misbehaving with the survivor on the sets of the film De Ingottu Nokkiye in 2008. Later, she had also levelled allegations against actor-director Balachandra Menon.

Published - November 22, 2024 11:00 am IST