Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram. The rape and sexual harassment cases against ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA M. Mukesh and three other prominent actors have rocked Malayalam cinema with some leaders of the ruling coalition demanding Mukesh’s resignation from the Assembly membership.
Amid protests by opposition parties and some Left leaders demanding Mukesh’s resignation, the actor got relief from a Kochi court which granted him protection from arrest till September 3. Trouble for the ruling Left Front and the accused MLA increased when senior Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Annie Raja said that Mukesh no longer has any legal or moral basis to remain an MLA as a rape case has been registered against him. She appealed to the MLA to step down. Meanwhile, the CPI(M)-led LDF was seen coming out in support of Mukesh.
LDF convenor E P Jayarajan said that earlier two other MLAs had bigger cases of sexual harassment registered against them and they did not resign. He was referring to Congress MLAs M Vincent and Eldhose Kunnapilly. Jayarajan said, “If they had resigned, the third MLA (Mukesh) would also have had to resign. The law applies equally to all MLAs. You are demanding Mukesh’s resignation and protecting the other two MLAs.” The entire incident is believed to be linked to the shocking findings of the Justice K Hema Committee report.
The complainant, who has worked in some films, has accused well-known actor and MLA M. Mukesh, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, besides Idavela Babu, who plays a prominent role in the actors’ union, of sexual abuse. The actress wrote in a post on Facebook, “I am writing this post to report incidents of physical and verbal abuse against me by Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, Jayasurya, Chandrasekaran, production controller Noble and Vichu in the Malayalam film industry.”
The actress wrote, “While working on a project in 2013, these persons physically and verbally harassed me. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but this abuse became intolerable.” An FIR was registered against Mukesh under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code at Maradu police station in Kochi city on Wednesday night. The actress had alleged that Mukesh sexually assaulted her in 2010. After the case was registered, Mukesh pleaded for anticipatory bail in the Kochi court.
The Principal Sessions Court, while granting interim relief to Mukesh, said that there is little possibility of the actor fleeing from the law. The court said in its order, “Keeping in mind the situation that there is no possibility of escaping from the clutches of law, the IO (Investigating Officer) is directed not to arrest the petitioner till 3/9/24.” The actor claimed in his anticipatory bail plea that the statement given by the victim against him is of malicious intent. He claimed that the case was registered with a hidden motive and to harm his political and film career.
The anticipatory bail has been granted at a time when the opposition is pressing for Mukesh’s resignation as MLA. Opposition Congress and BJP workers protested outside Mukesh’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram and also in other parts of the state. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheeshan said that it is wrong to say that the Congress did not demand Mukesh’s resignation.
He told reporters here, “We had demanded his resignation in the beginning. We only said that he and the CPI(M) will have to take a decision in this regard.” Satishan also said that the Left government in the state suppressed the Justice Hema Committee report for more than four years to prevent disclosure of the names of the culprits. He said that the film industry is being destroyed due to the state government’s inaction on the recommendations of the committee. Satishan said the Congress party and other organizations affiliated to it are protesting in the state on this issue.
Youth Congress workers protested outside Mukesh’s house in Thiruvananthapuram, where police had put up barricades to prevent them from reaching his house. Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the BJP, also took out a march in Kollam city.
Earlier, Thiruvananthapuram Museum Police on Wednesday registered a case against actor Siddique for raping an actress at a hotel eight years ago.
Earlier, a case was registered against director Ranjit under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) on the complaint of an actress from West Bengal. This complaint has been made in relation to an incident of 2009. The report of the Justice Hema Committee constituted by the Kerala government after the attack on an actress in the year 2017 has revealed cases of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.