Police intensify search for rape accused Malayalam actor Siddique

Thiruvananthapuram: Authorities are stepping up efforts to locate Malayalam actor Siddique, who is currently missing after the Kerala High Court denied him anticipatory bail in a rape case. The police have issued a lookout notice in local newspapers asking the public for any information regarding his whereabouts.

The notice states that 65-year-old Siddique is an accused in a case involving rape and criminal intimidation. It encourages anyone with information to contact the Commissioner of Police in Thiruvananthapuram or the Deputy Inspector General of Police in the Thiruvananthapuram Range. People can also reach out to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Narcotics Cell or the Museum police station.

Accompanying the notice is a photograph of the actor and a brief description of him, stating that he is 5.7 feet tall and has a well-built physique.

Siddique has approached the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail after the Kerala High Court ruled against him on September 24, citing the serious nature of the allegations and the necessity for custodial interrogation for a thorough investigation.

It had further said that since Sidhique's defence was "a total denial of the incident", his potency test was yet to be conducted and there being a "reasonable apprehension" that he may intimidate witnesses and tamper with evidence, "it was not a fit case to exercise the discretionary powers of the court" to grant him the relief.

Siddique, who was booked for offences under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), had claimed in his plea that the complainant female actor, had subjected him to a "prolonged campaign of harassment and false accusations since 2019".

In his plea for bail, Siddique claims that the female actor has made unfounded allegations of sexual misconduct against him for the past five years, including false claims stemming from an incident in a theatre in 2016. Following the accusations, he stepped down from his position as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).

This case is part of a broader pattern, as multiple FIRs have been filed against several prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry amid rising allegations of sexual harassment. These allegations surfaced after the Justice K. Hema Committee report highlighted instances of abuse and exploitation within the industry, which was formed by the Kerala government in response to the 2017 actress assault case.

In light of these troubling allegations, the state government announced on August 25 the formation of a special investigation team to look into the claims against various actors and directors in the film industry.

Agency

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