THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tremors that followed the release of the Justice Hema Committee report continued to shake the Malayalam film industry with one more woman levelling sexual misconduct allegation against actor Jayasurya.
Meanwhile, the police probing the allegations are expected to complete the recording of complainants’ secret statements before magistrates in the coming days.
Adding to Jayasurya’s troubles, the Karamana police have registered a second case against him based on the complaint filed by a junior artist. The alleged incident took place on the location of the movie Pigman in Thodupuzha in 2013.
The complainant alleged that Jayasurya held her from behind while she was returning from the bathroom on the location. The woman alleged that when she pushed him away, Jayasurya apologised. Based on the complaint, the police have booked him for outraging the modesty of the woman.
The case will be transferred to Thodupuzha police for further action.
Earlier, the Cantonment police had registered a case against Jayasurya after a Kochi-based actress filed a complaint against him. DIG S Ajeetha Begum, who is posted in Thiruvananthapuram, will be monitoring the investigation into the cases registered against Jayasurya and Siddique at police stations in Thiruvananthapuram. AIG G Poonguzhali will monitor all the seven cases registered in Kochi. Also, two DySP-ranked officers have been included in the SIT to investigate rape cases registered in Kochi.
On Friday, the special investigation team (SIT) recorded the statements of a Kozhikode-based male artist who had alleged that he was sexually abused by director Ranjith in Bengaluru.
A team led by IPS officer Aishwarya Dongre recorded his statement. A fresh case against Ranjith will be registered in Kozhikode based on the complaint, and it will be transferred to Bengaluru as the alleged offence took place there.
Two DySP-ranked officers included in probe team
Sources said since Dongre is awaiting a transfer to North Kerala, she will be monitoring the cases registered there.
The SIT has been expanded with about 50 new officers — male and female — drafted. Of them, about 35 officers will be part of seven teams that are investigating the cases registered on the complaints of a Kochi-based actress. The newly drafted officers have been split into 10 teams, each headed by an investigating officer in the rank of DySP or inspector.
The investigating officers in the cases against Siddique, Mukesh, V S Chandrasekharan and Edavela Babu are of DySP rank, while those in the rest of six cases are inspectors.
Sources said the exercise of recording the secret statements of the complainants before the magistrates will be completed soon. The cops have recorded the statements of the Bengali actress who had filed a complaint against Ranjith online. Sources said her statement will be recorded soon. The police can either record her statements in the area where she resides or ask her to get it done in Kerala.
The two DySP-ranked officers included in the SIT are Cherthala DySP K V Benny and Thrikkakara ACP P V Baby. Baby has been tasked with probing the rape cases against Edavela Babu and V S Chandrasekharan.
Meanwhile, the SIT on Friday approached the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court to record the confidential statement of the complainant under Section 183 of the BNSS in the rape case filed against Mukesh. The court assigned a Judicial First Class Magistrate in Ernakulam for the same. Later, AIG G Poonguzhali and DySP Benny reached the residence of the woman. Around 2pm, she was shifted to the government hospital in Aluva for medical examination. By 3.30pm, she arrived at the Judicial Magistrate Court to give her statement. The SIT will file a petition seeking a copy of her confidential statement on Saturday.
Later in the day, actor Mukesh reached Kochi as his anticipatory bail petition is under the consideration of Ernakulam District Principal Sessions Court. He met his lawyer Geo Paul in Kochi.Their meeting lasted around two hours. The court will be hearing the government prosecutor and Mukesh’s counsel on Monday.
Advocate Chandrasekharan also approached the Ernakulam sessions court with an anticipatory bail petition. After hearing, the court ordered the police not to arrest him till September 3. The petition will be considered on Monday.
(With inputs from Kochi)
