Hema Commission report: SC grants interim relief from arrest to Malayalam actor Siddique in rape case

The Supreme Court on Monday granted Malayalam actor Siddique interim protection from arrest for two weeks until the next date of hearing in a rape case filed against him based on allegations by a young actress.

The anticipatory bail followed revelations by Justice Hema Commission report on August 19 this year, detailing instances of ill-treatment and sexual harassment faced by actresses in the Malayalam film industry, reported Live Law.

A bench of Justices comprising Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma heard the matter. Advocate Vrinda Grover represented the woman who had made the allegations against Siddique. The Supreme Court protected Siddique from arrest subject to conditions to be imposed by the trial court and his joining the investigation.

The Malayalam actor filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court after the Kerala High Court dismissed his plea for anticipatory bail. On September 24, Justice CS Dias dismissed Siddique's petition, noting that the materials on record indicated prima facie involvement of Siddique in the crime, reported Live Law.

The Kerala High Court rejected Siddique's contention that the delay in the registration of FIR was fatal. In addition, the Kerala High Court also held that the acts alleged against Siddique would come within the wider ambit of “rape”.

After the Kerala government released the Justice Hema Committee report regarding exploitations faced by women in Malayalam cinema public in August, a woman made public allegations that Siddique sexually exploited her in 2016 when she met him in a hotel room after he offered her opportunities in the film industry.

Justice Trivedi pulls up advocate

Justice Trivedi, hearing the matter, pulled up the advocate representing the woman and questioned her why she had been mum on the issue since 2016.

“What were you doing for eight years? What prevented you from filing a complaint for eight years?” Justice Trivedi asked advocate Vrinda Grover, reported The Hindu.

Justices Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma asked Grover whether she could give a “satisfactory, reasonable reply” for the woman’s silence for nearly a decade, further stated the report.

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