SIT formed to look into allegations against director Ranjith
What's the story
Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith, who was arrested on Tuesday evening for allegedly sexually assaulting a young actor, has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. He is currently being held at Ernakulam Sub Jail. ANI reported that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has now been formed to probe the case. The director was taken into custody from Thodupuzha after a female actor accused him of sexual assault during a film shoot.
Details
'We were reasonably convinced...that the accused had committed the crime'
The actor alleged that Ranjith invited her to his caravan during the shoot and attempted to sexually assault her. Based on her complaint, a case has been registered under multiple sections, including outraging a woman's modesty, sexual assault, wrongful confinement, and making obscene gestures. DCP Aswathy Gigi told ANI, "We got a complaint and registered an FIR on March 28." "After that, we were reasonably convinced, after securing other evidence, that the accused had committed the crime."
Official statement
'The proceedings are moving forward in a proper manner'
Hindustan Times quoted Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying, "I do not have precise information about the complaint right now; like you, I have only read about it." "As of now, no formal complaints have come to me regarding the action taken." "In the absence of such complaints, it appears that the proceedings are moving forward in a proper manner."
Past accusations
He faced similar allegations before
This isn't the first time Ranjith has faced sexual misconduct allegations. In 2024, he stepped down as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy after a Bengali actor accused him of harassment. The Malayalam film industry reacted strongly to this news, with many actors and filmmakers publicly calling for his resignation. Thereafter, two more people had complained against him. He denied all allegations against him.