Justice Hema Committee report impact: Malayalam actor and ruling CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh booked in rape case 

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. 

An FIR under IPC 376 (rape) was registered against the actor at Maradu police station in Kochi city on August 28 night, police said. 

Actress Minu Muneer alleged that the abuse had caused her to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai. Denying all allegations Mukesh M stated that Muneer had tried to blackmail him and termed the case as politically motivated. 

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 August 27, the 17-member executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movies Artistes (AMMA), including its president and superstar actor Mohanlal, resigned from their posts. 

On August 28, 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. 

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. 

Amid 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 (SIT) to investigate all the charges.