Relief For Malayalam Actor Siddique In Rape Case, Supreme Court Extends Interim Anticipatory Bail

New Delhi, v 12 (IANS) Supreme Court on Tuesday extended for a week interim anticipatory bail to Malayalam actor Siddique, who faces alleged charges of raping an actress.

A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma decided to extend interim relief after senior vocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared on Siddique’s behalf, requested to post matter for hearing next week citing his own ill-health.

In course of hearing, Kerala Police apprised apex court that though Siddique was appearing before Investigating Officials, he did t cooperate with ongoing probe and tendered evasive responses.

On or hand, Mukul Rohatgi said that Kerala Police asked Malayalam actor to provide his mobile and laptop from 2016.

At this, Justice Sharma remarked, “As per my personal experience, I bought an iPhone and gave old one to shop.”

Without entering into contentions raised, apex court decided to journ matter on Mukul Rohatgi’s request and in meantime, extended interim relief for a week.

Earlier, Supreme Court h extended interim anticipatory bail for two weeks after Siddique’s counsel sought time to file rejoinder arguments to status report filed by Kerala Police.

Kerala Police has repeatedly said that Siddique was misusing his liberty to destroy evidence and failed to cooperate with ongoing probe.

In an order passed on September 30, Supreme Court issued tice on Siddique's plea for anticipatory bail and granted him interim pre-arrest bail.

"It is directed that in event of arrest of petitioner, he shall be released on bail, subject to conditions that may be imposed by trial court and subject to his joining investigation and remaining present before Investigating Officer as and when called upon to do so," SC h ordered.

A police case against Siddique was registered based on a complaint by an actress who accused him of raping her in a state-owned hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016.

actress, who initially hesitated to file a police complaint, later emailed state police chief alleging that Siddique raped her after she refused to give in to his demands for sexual favours in exchange for a role in a Tamil movie.

When this revelation came, Siddique, who was recently elected as General Secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), quit post.

After that, entire Executive Committee, chaired by President Mohanlal, also resigned.

Siddique h contended that this particular actress h been harassing him since 2019 by making repeated claims on social media that he tried to molest her at a atre in 2016, and after Justice Hema Committee report was published, she me a more serious allegation of rape at a different place in same year.

Trouble began for Siddique when on September 24, Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail.

Within a few hours, Siddique went missing and police were unable to trace and arrest him.

He re-surfaced after September 30 when apex court granted him bail and asked him to present himself before probe team.

In wake of explosive Justice Hema Committee report on condition of women in Malayalam film industry, released in August, a storm of allegations was unleashed against its leing figures.

As a few former actresses publicly revealed ir b experiences, police were quick to act, registering 11 FIRs against various film personalities.

--IANS

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