KOCHI: In the wake of the Kerala High Court’s directive to investigate the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report, the police have decided to broaden its probe into sexual offences charged against actors and other film workers in the Malayalam industry. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sexual offence cases will soon hold a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi to prepare a framework for examining the allegations by incorporating statements of witnesses.
Of the 52 persons who gave statements before the committee regarding the sexual exploitation they faced in Mollywood, only two have come forward to register their complaints with the SIT.
Police sources said that the special team will chair a meeting after they receive the full version of the report, as directed by the High Court.
Following the direction of the state government, sensitive portions of the report were kept from the SIT considering the victims’ privacy.
“As per the High Court directive, we must prepare a framework for the investigation. The plan will be prepared after a meeting with the team members. If required, more police officers will be added to the special team as the probe has to be broadened to look into all the statements given to the committee,” sources said.
As a preliminary move, the police, after analysing the statements, will identify the allegations involving crimes. If the witnesses have deposed about sexual offences and criminal conspiracy before the committee, those charges will be probed by the SIT.
“After analysing the statements, we shall record the statements of the victims. Also, the witnesses have to be taken into confidence to file a complaint, so that cases can be registered against the perpetrators,” sources said.
At present, the SIT is probing 23 cases registered in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts. Some prominent film personalities facing the probe are MLA and actor M Mukesh, director Ranjith, actors Siddique, Babu Raj, Jayasurya, Nivin Pauly, Edavela Babu and Maniyanpilla Raju.