The Kerala Police have begun a manhunt for actor Siddique following the Kerala High Court’s denial of his anticipatory bail in a rape case lodged against him by a former actress. The case stems from a complaint alleging that Siddique raped the actress at a state-owned hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016.
Sources indicate that the police are intensifying their efforts to locate Siddique, with a lookout circular now issued. The court’s decision comes as part of the ongoing fallout from the recent Hema Committee report, which exposed systemic abuse and harassment in the Malayalam film industry and has prompted several former actresses to come forward with their stories.
According to the complaint, the victim alleged that Siddique coerced her into providing sexual favors in exchange for a role in a Tamil film. When she refused, he reportedly raped her. Initially reluctant to report the incident, the actress decided to take action following the release of the Hema Committee report last month, which highlighted the pervasive issues women face in the industry.
Siddique, who was recently elected general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), resigned from his position shortly after the allegations emerged. This resignation led to the entire committee, chaired by actor Mohanlal, stepping down in solidarity with the victim.
In response to the accusations, Siddique has vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that the actress has harassed him since 2019 with baseless accusations on social media. He further asserted that she had previously accused him of misbehavior at a theatre in 2016 but escalated her claims to rape only after the Hema Committee report was made public.
The Malayalam film industry is currently facing a crisis, with a wave of sexual misconduct allegations surfacing since the release of the Hema Committee report. As a result, police have registered 11 FIRs against various actors, directors, and producers in connection with these claims. Siddique’s case is the latest in a troubling series of high-profile allegations that have rocked the industry, with other notable figures such as actor-turned-legislator Mukesh Madhavan, and actors Nivin Pauly, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as directors Ranjith and Prakash, also implicated.
Sources By Agencies
