SC grants anticipatory bail to Malayalam actor Siddique
The Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Malayalam actor Siddique in a rape case, subject to conditions, amid controversy over delayed FIR and ongoing investigation.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe the sexual assault complaints made by several women in the Malayalam film industry, interrogated Malayalam actor Siddique on Monday.
Siddique appeared for questioning at the office of Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner Sparjan Kumar regarding the sexual assault case allegedly filed against him by a young actress.
The SIT has been investigating the actor over allegations of raping a young actress at Mascot Hotel in Kochi in 2016.
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The Supreme Court granted him temporary relief by staying his arrest for two weeks after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Kerala High Court. He had gone into hiding after the High Court’s decision.
Following the Supreme Court’s interim bail grant, Siddique informed the police via email that he was ready to appear for questioning. The SIT chief responded by issuing him a notice to appear on Monday.
The rape case was registered against Siddique based on a complaint filed by a young actress who accused him of sexual assault in 2016. She was 21 years old when she attended a function at a local theatre in Thiruvananthapuram for the preview of the Malayalam film Sukhamairikkatte.
After the function, Siddique allegedly invited her to a well-known hotel in the city center to discuss aspects related to the film. “I was locked in a room. He abused me physically and told me it was okay if I didn’t allow him to cross the limits,” she recollected.
Actor Biju Pappan and Siddique’s son, Shaheen Siddique, accompanied the actor.
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