Case Filed Against Another Malayalam Director; Special Team To Probe Siddique

A special investigation team (SIT) will look into rape allegations against Malayalam actor Siddique. A first information report (FIR) has also been filed against director VK Prakash as the #MeToo storm hits Malayalam cinema, with several actors accused of rape and sex harassment.

So far 10 FIRs have been filed against actors and directors in the Malayalam cinema #MeToo movement.

The allegations inside Mollywood - as Malayalam cinema is known - surfaced after the Justice K Hema Committee released a report on sexual harassment faced by actors.

The Thiruvananthapuram City District Crime Branch is in charge of the SIT that will look into the allegations against Siddique. The team includes the Museum Police.

The survivor's statement was recorded today, after which the decision to form the SIT was taken.

In the FIR against VK Prakash, the case was filed based on the confidential statement of the survivor to the Kollam police.

In another development, a local court told police not to arrest rape accused actor-politician K Mukesh till September 3. Mr Mukesh, a CPI(M) MLA from Kollam, had approached the court seeking protection from arrest after the Kerala Police filed a rape case against him.

Well-known names of Malayalam cinema, including Mukesh and Jayasurya have been charged by the police for alleged rape and sexual assault of a woman colleague.