Second Sexual Assault Allegation Against Kerala Director Ranjith

Kerala police filed another sexual assault case against film director Ranjith after a complaint by an aspiring actor. This follows the release of the Hema Committee report. A male actor alleged assault during a 2012 audition. Additional complaints and statements have emerged, intensifying the director's legal challenges.

Kerala police have registered a second sexual assault case against film director Ranjith following a complaint by an aspiring actor. Filed in Kozhikode, this case comes on the heels of the recently released Hema Committee report.

The investigation team recorded the statement of the complainant on Friday. The aspiring male actor alleged that Ranjith forced him to strip naked and sexually assaulted him during a 2012 audition, which the director organized in a Bangalore hotel.

Initially believing the actions were part of the audition, the next morning, Ranjith offered the victim money. The aspiring actor has since filed a complaint with the DGP, and the SIT will investigate. Kerala Police confirmed receiving the complaint, marking the second accusation against the filmmaker.

Adding to the controversy, Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint with the Kochi City Police on Monday, the day after Ranjith resigned as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy. Her complaint also led to a case being registered against the director.

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report, highlighting harassment and exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry, was made public, revealing severe misconduct within the industry. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)