THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the allegations of sexual harassment in Malayalam film industry will record the secret statements of the complainants before a magistrate to ensure that they have evidentiary value, which will prove crucial during the trial.
The SIT has identified 16 incidents of harassment as alleged by several persons before the media and on social media platforms. The allegations are being verified, said police sources. They said the police have so far received about eight complaints, with cases registered in two.
The SIT decided to record the testimonials of the complainants before magistrate to rule out chances of their changing the statements during the trial stage and also to safeguard them from unwanted cross-examination. Another reason behind the decision was to overcome the potential difficulties in garnering evidence as the alleged offences took place several years ago, a source said. Some of those who had raised allegations of sexual harassment have declined to file police complaints citing various reasons. “Most of them had raised trivial allegations, which could not be termed grave. Though they were contacted by the police, they chose not to file complaints,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the SIT members recorded the statement of a female actor, who had pointed fingers at actors Jayasurya, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju and Idavela Babu, in Kochi on Wednesday. She lodged a complaint with the police on Tuesday.
Highly-placed sources said multiple cases will be registered on her complaints in various police stations in Kochi on the basis of the place of occurrence of the alleged offence.
In another development, the Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday registered a rape case against actor Siddique based on the complaint filed by a female actor.
The case was registered after the woman mailed her complaint to the State Police Chief on Tuesday, alleging that Siddique had sexually assaulted her at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016.
Case against Siddique for raping, threatening actor
Following the registration of the FIR, women officers from Museum station recorded the statement of the female actor. The investigation was then taken over by the SIT.
The actress alleged that she befriended Siddique over a social media platform. The actress said she later met him in connection with a film discussion in a hotel, and it was there she was raped and restrained in the hotel room.
Siddique has been booked for raping and threatening the actor. Both the offences are non-bailable and the rape charge carries a punishment ranging from imprisonment not less than 10 years to life sentence. The medical examination of the complainant was done on Wednesday and her statement before the magistrate will be recorded on Thursday.