Maroc - POPDIARIES.COM - A La Une - 28/Aug 09:47

This Indian Actor Booked For Rape, Criminal Intimidation

Actor Booked For Rape Kochi: Senior Malayalam actor Siddique has been charged with rape and criminal intimidation by the Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram. The charges follow a complaint filed by a woman actor with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating sexual assault allegations against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry. Siddique is accused of raping the actress in a Thiruvananthapuram hotel in January 2016, under the guise of discussing a fictitious film project.  The police have registered a first information report (FIR) against him under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as the incident occurred in 2016. These sections are non-bailable. "The investigation will be led by the SIT," confirmed an officer from the Museum police station to HT. This is the second FIR filed in relation to the “MeToo” movement's sexual assault allegations, brought forth by women actors and technicians against notable male industry figures, following the Hema committee report, which highlighted systemic abuse within the industry. On Monday, an FIR was lodged at the Ernakulam North police station against filmmaker Ranjith for alleged misconduct, based on a complaint by a Bengali actress. Siddique, 61, who has appeared in over 350 films, predominantly in Malayalam, resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on August 22 after the allegations surfaced. The FIR also mentions that after the alleged assault, Siddique threatened the actress. However, Siddique has denied the allegations, claiming an agenda behind the accusations, and has filed a complaint with the state police chief. The actress recently spoke to the media, stating, “I was new to the industry at the time. He (Siddique) invited me to a hotel under the pretense of discussing a film project that did not exist. It was a trap. He sexually abused and raped me, and also physically assaulted me. I had to abandon my dreams and endured significant mental trauma.” In response to the allegations, AMMA president Mohanlal resigned on Tuesday, leading to the dissolution of the 17-member executive committee.