Kerala actor-politician Mukesh booked for rape on actress' plaint

KOCHI: A rape case has been registered against prominent Malayalam actor and ruling CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh following a female actor's allegation that he sexually assaulted her years ago, police said on Thursday.

An FIR under IPC 376 (rape) was registered against the actor at Maradu police station in Kochi city on Wednesday night, a police officer said.

The case was registered under the IPC as the offence allegedly occurred before the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita came to force, he said.

This is the third FIR against a high profile Malayalam film personality following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.

On Wednesday, Thiruvananthapuram museum police had booked actor Sidhique for allegedly raping an actress in a hotel eight years ago.

The first case, under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty), was against director Ranjith on a complaint by a female actor from West Bengal regarding an incident which occurred in 2009.

She had alleged that the director had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie Paleri Manikyam.

Following the allegation by the actor, Ranjith had resigned from his post as chairman of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

Sidhique had also resigned as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following the allegations against him.

The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.

Amidst allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them.

Subsequently, more complaints surfaced.