Kerala police register FIR, accusing actor Siddique of rape and criminal intimidation

Veteran Malayalam actor Siddique accused of rape, part of larger scandal involving sexual exploitation in Mollywood industry.

The Museum police have registered a First Information Report, accusing veteran Malayalam actor and former General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), Siddique, of allegedly raping an aspiring actor at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. 

The police have also accused Mr. Siddique of illegally detaining and threatening the woman. The serious section entails arrest and remand.

In a statement on Tuesday (August 27, 2024), Mr. Siddique denied the woman’s accusations. His legal team will likely move the Principal Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, for anticipatory bail. 

The woman was one among the several survivors who came on social and mainstream media to narrate their alleged exploitation at the hands of Mollywood bigwigs.

Also Read: Catalyst for change: On the Hema Committee report and Malayalam film industry

The recent publication of the 2019 Hema Committee report, which documented scores of instances of sexual exploitation in the industry, opened a Pandora’s Box of accusations, with several women appearing in mainstream and social media to narrate their alleged abuse.

The Government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising four women IPS officers. Several survivors approached the unit with complaints, prompting the registration of cases.