Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection to Malayalam Actor Siddique in Rape Case

The Supreme Court of India granted interim protection from arrest to Malayalam actor Siddique in a rape case. This decision came after Siddique's plea challenging a Kerala High Court order denying him anticipatory bail. The case highlights broader issues exposed by the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment in the Malayalam film industry.

The Supreme Court on Monday granted Malayalam film actor Siddique temporary protection from arrest in a rape case.

A bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma issued a notice to the Kerala government and the victim. This followed Siddique's appeal against a Kerala High Court decision that had denied him anticipatory bail.

At the start of the hearing, senior advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the victim, was questioned about the delay in filing the complaint. She referenced the Justice Hema Committee report, which shed light on the harassment and sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Siddique, pointed out that the complaint was filed in 2024, eight years after the alleged incident.

On September 24, the Kerala High Court had denied Siddique's anticipatory bail due to the seriousness of the accusations. Siddique, accused of rape and criminal intimidation, claims that the female actor complainant has been harassing him with false accusations since 2019. The case is part of a wider fallout from the Justice Hema Committee report, which has led to multiple FIRs against other high-profile Malayalam film personalities.

(With inputs from agencies.)