Rape case: Relief for Siddique as SC extends interim bail
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Tuesday further extended the interim anticipatory bail of Malayalam actor Siddique, who is facing rape charges. This decision gives the actor two more weeks of bail. The court postponed the hearing after Siddique's lawyer requested more time to submit a rejoinder to the report filed by the Kerala Police last week. Siddique's case came to light during the #MeToo movement in Mollywood—with the allegations dating back to 2016.
Court decision
Kerala High Court dismissed Siddique's anticipatory bail plea
The Kerala High Court had earlier rejected Siddique's anticipatory bail petition, noting evidence of his prima facie involvement. The Kerala Police had opposed Siddique's bail plea, fearing evidence tampering and witness intimidation due to Siddique's influence. They informed the top court that there was a "stockpile of evidence" against the actor and alleged that Siddique was "not cooperating at all" with the investigation. Police also mentioned that the actor claimed he could not recall the events from the relevant period.
Legal proceedings
Delay in filing formal complaint questioned by court
The Supreme Court, headed by Justices Bela Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, questioned the eight-year delay in filing a formal complaint against Siddique. The prosecution said the victim only got the courage to come forward after the Hema Committee report was published in August, exposing rampant issues in the Malayalam film industry. Siddique's counsel sought more time to reply to the police's status report, and the hearing was adjourned.
Resignation
Siddique denied allegations, resigned from AMMA
Siddique is facing charges of raping a female actor under the guise of discussing a "non-existent" film project at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. The actor has categorically denied all allegations against him, calling them "baseless" and part of an attempt to tarnish his image. After the accusations, he resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in August.