The Kerala Police on Saturday filed a chargesheet against filmmaker and former chairperson of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Ranjith B in a case filed against him alleging molestation of a Bengali actress in 2009.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sexual harassment cases in the aftermath of the release of Hema Committee report, filed the chargesheet at the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. The police had registered the case against Ranjith on August 26 after Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra filed a police complaint against him for allegedly sexually harassing her in the year 2009.
In her complaint, sent via email to the Kochi Commissioner of Police, Sreelekha said she had come to the city for discussions related to one of Ranjith’s films, called ‘Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha’,and Ranjith allegedly made sexual advances at his apartment in Kaloor.
“During the course of discussion, he clutched my hand and later on attempted to spread his hand to other parts of my body with sexual intention. Realising that his intentions were not the discussion regarding the film and with sexual intent, I had to escape from the flat and return to the hotel where I was staying. My bitter experience was shared on the next day to a script writer Sri Joshy Joseph. As I was not given the traveling ticket for my return journey, I was compelled to seek the help of Sri Joshy Joseph,” she said.
However, Ranjith claimed that the allegations were fabricated
Ranjith has been charged under Section 354 (assaulting or using criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and Section 509 (acts, words, or gestures that are intended to insult a woman’s modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The complanant came out against the director after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report on issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The report rocked the Kerala film industry over revelations of harassment by several actors.
Following the allegation, Ranjith resigned as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy,a Kerala government initiative meant to promote Malayalam cinema