Hema Committee report: Kerala High Court asks SIT to appoint nodal officer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating cases registered after the Hema committee report to appoint a Nodal officer.

Those who received threat messages could complain to the nodal officer. The Hema Committee was formed in response to a 2017 sexual assault case involving an actor and submitted its report to the Chief Minister on December 31, 2019.

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Earlier, on November 12, the Supreme Court had extended interim protection from arrest to actor Siddiqui in connection with a rape case. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma extended the relief to Siddique till the next date of hearing.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing on behalf of Siddique informed the top court that the probe agency kept asking him about his phone and laptop from 2016, which he didn't have.

The apex court sought to know from the Kerala Police whether Siddique appeared whenever called. The Kerala Government replied to the court that he is appearing but not cooperating.

Justice Sharma remarked that when Siddique bought the new phone he gave the old one to the shop. Senior advocate Rohatgi sought adjournment due to his bad throat.

The actor had approached the Supreme Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the rape case. Earlier, Kerala Police issued a lookout notice against Siddique suspecting he may have fled the state.

The actor was allegedly on the run after the Kerala High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail application. The case is being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala government.

Siddique was booked by the museum police in Thiruvananthapuram on August 27 under the charges of rape and criminal intimidation, based on a complaint filed by a young actor.

However, Siddique categorically denied the allegation. This came after the Malayalam film industry was rocked by a "Me Too" movement exposing various allegations of sexual abuse earlier in August this year.

Following the allegations, Siddique resigned from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Consequently, the entire 17-member executive committee of AMMA also resigned.

Serious accusations have been made by several women actors against prominent figures in the industry, including director Ranjith and actors Mukesh, Jayasurya, and Edavela Babu, among others.