More Malayalam actors named in sexual abuse cases; pressure grows on CPI(M) to remove legislator

Mukesh has denied the allegations as “blackmail tactics”.

Director Ranjith, who was booked by police earlier this week after another woman actor accused him of sexual misconduct in 2009, faced yet another allegation Thursday by a man from Kozhikode.

The man filed a police complaint against Ranjith in Kozhikode. Speaking to the media afterwards, he claimed that he had approached Ranjith for an acting opportunity and the director called him to a hotel in Bengaluru in 2012. The man, who claimed he was 21 at the time, claimed he was sexually abused.

Ranjith did not respond to The Indian Express’s requests for comment.

Meanwhile, as calls for Mukesh’s resignation as MLA intensified, Kerala’s ruling Left alliance, the LDF, said there was no need for him to quit as two sitting Congress legislators are also accused in sexual assault cases.

Later on Thursday, Mukesh got a reprieve after the district sessions court in Ernakulam stayed his arrest for five days.

LDF convener and senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan said that the two Congress legislators with sexual assault cases against them “should resign first before asking for Mukesh’s resignation”.

Referring to the pending cases against Congress MLAs M Vincent and Eldhose Kunnappilly, the LDF leader said, “Had they resigned, then Mukesh too would have to resign. The law is applicable equally to all legislators.”

On being told that some CPI leaders, including Annie Raja, have sought Mukesh’s resignation, Jayarajan said: “Anyone can demand anything.”

Senior CPI(M) leader K K Shailaja said that if Mukesh has committed a crime, then he is not eligible to continue as MLA. “But, right now, we are in the initial stages of the investigation, and we cannot say whether he should resign or not,” she said.

The Special Investigation Team constituted to look into allegations has begun collecting evidence and statements of witnesses in the cases pertaining to actor Siddique and director Ranjith.

Police examined the check-in register and documents at Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram, where, according to a woman actor’s allegations, Siddique had allegedly sexually assaulted her.

A case of sexual assault was also registered against documentary director Vineeth, and movie reviewers Santhosh Varkey, known as Arattu Annan, Alin Jose Perera, and two others based on a complaint from a 34-year-old transwoman, who alleged that she was sexually assaulted by them in April this year.

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