THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the allegations of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry has started contacting the women artists, who had testified before the Justice R Hema Committee. The procedure was set in motion with the intention of cajoling those who had given their statements before the Hema Committee to officially lodge a police complaint. However, none of them expressed willingness to come forward, highly-placed sources said.
About 50 people had given their statements before the committee laying bare the ordeal of sexual harassment they had faced while working in the Malayalam movie industry. The transcripts of the statements given by these artists, along with audio and video recordings of their interactions with the committee, have been given to the special team on the orders of the High Court. It has been decided to divide the responsibility of reaching out to the women artists, who had conveyed their grievances to the committee, to all the members of the SIT.
The SIT has been conducting meetings every two days to review the progress of the probe so far and also to chart out the further course of action. The SIT had met on Wednesday and during the meeting, it was observed that since those who gave their statements before the committee had sought anonymity, convincing them to lodge police complaints would be a difficult task.
Meanwhile, sources added that there was no mention of underage girls being subjected to sexual harassment in the unredacted report contrary to the media claims.
The members of the SIT will go through the report meticulously in the next two days after which the next course of action will be decided.
V K PRAKASH ARRESTED, RELEASED ON BAIL
KOLLAM: Pallithottam police have arrested filmmaker V K Prakash in connection with the alleged sexual assault on a young woman writer. He was later released on bail, following a court directive. He appeared before the investigating officer on Tuesday to provide a statement. According to the police, Prakash was questioned for three consecutive days before being released on bail, following directions from the Kerala High Court. “We questioned him for three days, after which he was released on bail as per the High Court’s directive,” said an officer.
‘ENSURE NORMS FOR GENDER JUSTICE WHILE SHOOTING’
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Feminists, scholars and Althea Women’s Collective have asked the state government to create a broad set of guidelines for the Malayalam film industry in consultation with the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and other bodies to ensure gender justice during the shoot of Malayalam films. In a statement in response to the opinions expressed by one of the members of the Hema Committee that certification must be ensured to prevent glorification of gender injustice, the collective said it might provide vested interests with an excuse to further attack the recommendations of the report. It also demanded the need for making intimacy coordinators mandatory at shooting sets.
Actor Jayasurya returns from US
Kochi: Actor Jayasurya, who is facing sexual assault charges following the release of the Hema Committee report, returned from the United States on Thursday evening. He landed at the Kochi airport with his family. Addressing the media, he said the details of the case against him cannot be disclosed as it is under the consideration of the court. “I cannot speak on the issue. My lawyer will fix a date and we will meet then. You will understand everything then,” he said. Following the sexual harassment allegations, the actor, in an open letter earlier, had announced his decision to move legally against the false allegations and said that facing a false accusation is just as painful as the harassment.
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