Malayalam director Ranjith gets 3-day police custody in assault case
India Today
Malayalam director Ranjith has been sent to three-day police custody in a sexual assault case filed by an actor. The probe is being handled by a Special Investigation Team, while Keralam CM Pinarayi Vijayan said due process is being followed.
Malayalam director and producer Ranjith has been sent to three days of police custody after being produced before the First Class Magistrate Court in Kochi on Saturday. This followed his arrest in connection with an alleged sexual assault complaint filed by an actor.
The case relates to accusations that Ranjith sexually assaulted the complainant during a film shoot. Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on March 28 based on the actor's statement. Officials said Ranjith was taken into custody from Thodupuzha after investigators gathered enough evidence to proceed with the arrest, as per ANI. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on April 1 to further probe the matter.
Earlier, Ranjith was produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. He is currently lodged in Ernakulam Sub Jail.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Aswathy Gigi said the police acted after corroborating the complaint with additional evidence.
She added that the SIT would continue its investigation during the police custody period granted by the court. "We got a complaint and registered an FIR on March 28. After that, we were reasonably convinced, after securing other evidence, that the accused had committed the crime. So, we went ahead with the arrest last night... A Special Investigation Team has been constituted," Gigi told ANI.
Ranjith's legal counsel has indicated that a bail plea is being prepared and will be submitted to the court in due course.
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