Kerala actor Siddique is on the verge of arrest in a sexual assault case, as the police have prepared to take action following the rejection of his anticipatory bail application by the Kerala High Court. To locate him, a lookout circular has been issued, allowing authorities to track his whereabouts.
The case against Siddique stems from a complaint filed by an actress who alleges that he assaulted her in a government hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. Initially, the actress hesitated to report the incident but felt empowered to come forward after the Justice Hema Committee submitted its report last month, which highlighted systemic harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry. The report encouraged former actresses to share their traumatic experiences, contributing to a growing awareness of the issue.
The actress accused Siddique of demanding sexual favors in exchange for a role in a Tamil film. When she refused his advances, he allegedly assaulted her. Following these allegations, Siddique was recently appointed as the General Secretary of the Malayalam Movie Artists Association but resigned after the sexual assault accusations surfaced.
In a counterstatement, Siddique claimed that the actress had been harassing him since 2019. He alleged that she accused him of inappropriate behavior in a theater in 2016 but changed her narrative to claim sexual assault only after the Hema Committee report was made public.
The Kerala High Court dismissed Siddique’s petition for anticipatory bail on Tuesday, exacerbating the situation. The actress expressed dissatisfaction with the Special Investigation Team’s handling of the case, alleging that Siddique had been given ample opportunity to destroy evidence.
This case is emblematic of the larger issues of sexual harassment and exploitation in the film industry, and it has sparked a renewed discussion about the safety and treatment of women in cinema. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on ensuring justice for the victims and holding accountable those who abuse their positions of power.
