Kerala HC rejects actor Siddique's anticipatory bail in assault case
What's the story
The Kerala High Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Malayalam actor Siddique, who is embroiled in a sexual assault case.
The decision was made on Tuesday amid an ongoing probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate incidents of sexual misconduct within the film industry.
The allegations against Siddique were brought forward by a woman actor, leading to a First Information Report (FIR) being filed by Thiruvananthapuram Police.
Information
Crime Branch in the lookout for the actor
Meanwhile, per Manorama, Crime Branch chief Sparjan Kumar has instructed the Kochi Police to arrest the actor in connection with the case. According to sources, the police have issued a lookout circular for the actor at all airports to prevent him from leaving the country.
Case details
Alleged assault occurred in 2016; Siddique denied allegations
The alleged sexual assault by Siddique reportedly took place in a hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016.
The police have gathered evidence from hotel records that seemingly support the woman's claims.
Despite this, Siddique has staunchly denied the accusations and is awaiting a comprehensive court order.
He has labeled these allegations as a "criminal conspiracy to tarnish the reputation of the entire Malayalam film industry."
Legal proceedings
Siddique's anticipatory bail plea and resignation from AMMA
Siddique had applied for anticipatory bail on September 2, following a rape case registered against him.
The FIR was filed under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Amid these serious allegations, Siddique stepped down from his role as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), along with the entire 17-member executive committee which also included President Mohanlal.
Defense
Siddique claimed victim made false claims for 5 years
In his anticipatory bail plea, Siddique claimed that the actor had been making false allegations of sexual misbehavior and "verbal sexual offers" against him for the past five years.
He suggested that these accusations were a response to a press conference he held with other officials from AMMA following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report.
Notably, Siddique isn't the only actor hit by such accusations.
Actors such as Mukesh and Jayasurya have also been implicated in similar cases.