The Kerala High Court on Tuesday, September 24, denied an anticipatory bail plea filed by Malayalam actor Siddique, reported PTI. The veteran actor sought bail in a sexual assault case filed by a female actor.
Based on the complaint, Siddique has been charged with offences under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Justice C S Dias said, ''Application is dismissed''.
As per reports, Siddique's lawyer will forward the plea in the apex court once the HC gives its detailed judgement. Meanwhile, Crime Branch head Sparjan Kumar has ordered Kochi police to arrest the actor.
Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram booked the actor in a rape case after receiving a complaint from the female actor.
As the Kerala HC rejected his bail plea, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is likely to record the arrest of Siddique for an interrogation.
What did Siddique say in his anticipatory bail plea?
In his anticipatory bail plea, Siddique claimed that the complainant has subjected him to the "prolonged campaign of harassment and false accusations since 2019".
He further claimed that the female actor had repeatedly, for the past five years, made unsubstantiated and false claims of sexual misbehaviour and 'verbal sexual offers' by him in a theatre in 2016.
He added, ''But now she has raised totally contradictory allegation of more serious crime of rape at a different place in the same year.''
What were the allegations against Siddique?
Several big names of the Malayalam film industry cropped up in sexual harassment accusations after the release of the Hema Committee report. Siddique was also one of the prominent names who was accused in a sexual assault case.
A woman actor claimed that Siddique assaulted her in 2016. There were reports that police found significant evidence against the actor.
The actress alleged that, in January or February 2016, Siddique invited her to a hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram, where he sexually abused her.
As per police investigations, he was staying at the Mascot Hotel during the time frame mentioned in the complaint. As per hotel records, he checked in on January 28, 2016.
There was documentation of his stay. Police also recorded statements from the hotel staff who were present at the time, and also from the complainant’s parents.
What did Siddique say in his defense post the allegations?
Siddique filed a complaint with the Director General of Police (DGP), claiming that he is innocent and the allegations are made to ruin his image. He stated he first met the actress only once in 2016, in the presence of her parents.
Following the allegations, Siddique resigned from his post as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
