KOCHI: Exactly a year after the release of the Hema Committee report that exposed sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry and promised sweeping reforms, the special investigation team (SIT) formed to deal with the resultant allegations is left with little to do.
While officers claim the SIT remains operational, the reality paints a different picture: investigations into the 35 cases registered in the aftermath of the release of the Hema Committee report have been dropped. Formed on August 25 last year, the seven-member SIT – headed by IG Sparjan Kumar and comprising four senior women IPS officers, an assistant inspector general, and a superintendent-ranked officer – now finds itself without any of those cases before it.
“As we had informed the court, the complainants are no longer willing to pursue the cases, which prompted us to halt further action,” Sparjan Kumar told TNIE.
At the same time, the SIT continues to work on 10 cases registered before the release of the Hema Committee report. “In those cases, we have already submitted chargesheets and the accused are before the respective courts,” the officer said, conceding that the team’s functioning is not as full-fledged as in the initial phase.
A woman officer with the team, speaking on condition of anonymity, said several complainants told the SIT that their engagement with the Hema Committee was purely academic.
“They believed the committee was formed to study issues within the film industry and initiate comprehensive changes. They didn’t expect, nor intend, it to lead to criminal proceedings,” the officer said. The officer also dismissed suggestions that complainants were hesitant to testify because of discomfort with the SIT despite the presence of female officers.
“There is no such thing. We extended every support possible. But they decided not to pursue criminal action,” she pointed out.
Meanwhile, a top source with the Kerala Police revealed that a lack of supporting evidence and documentation from the complainants was a major reason in halting the investigation into many cases.
“Numerous complaints came up from junior artists and supporting actors. In several cases, the SIT struggled to gather adequate evidence or documentation to support the allegations. In court, evidence, supporting documents, and mahazars are essential. Otherwise, the credibility of the investigating officers can come under scrutiny,” the source said.
Hema Committee fallout
Cases registered after the release of Hema committee report: 35 (probe dropped)
Cases registered before the report, based on complaints: 10 (probe ongoing)
Director Ranjith
Cases: 2 (One filed by a Bengali actor and another by a male actor)
Status: Kerala High Court quashed the case filed by the male actor. Karnataka High Court stayed proceedings in the case filed by the Bengali actor
Actor Siddique
Case: 1 (Filed by a model-actor)
Status: Investigation pending
Actor-politician M Mukesh
Cases: 2 (Registered with Wadakkancherry and Maradu police)
Status: Chargesheets filed in both cases. In one case, the complainant later withdrew the complaint
Actor Edavela Babu
Cases: 2 (One filed by a junior artist with Nadakkavu police, another with Maradu police)
Status: Chargesheets filed in both cases. In one case, the complainant dropped the charges
Actor-producer Maniyanpilla Raju
Case: 1 (Registered at Fort Kochi police station)
Status: The complainant later withdrew the charges
Actor Jayasurya
Case: 1 (Registered at Cantonment police station, Thiruvananthapuram)
Status: The complainant later dropped the charges
Actor-director Balachandra Menon
Cases: 2 (Registered in Cantonment police station and in Ernakulam Central police station)
Status: Referred the case in Cantonment PS as there is no evidence, and investigation pending in another case
Actor Nivin Pauly
Case: 1 (Registered following the allegation of junior artist)
Status: Clean-chit from police
Others who faced heat: Actors Baburaj, Sudheesh, and Alencier, production controllers Vichu and Noble, makeup assistant Charuth Chandran, and makeup artists Saji Koratty and Ratheesh Ambady, among others