<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/malayalam-filmmaker-ranjith-remanded-to-judicial-custody-in-sexual-assault-case-3951741">arrest</a> of known Malayalam filmmaker and actor Ranjith in a sexual assault complaint of an actress is causing embarrassment to the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala just ahead of the crucial assembly polls.</p><p>Ranjith, who is a CPI(M) fellow traveler, was appointed as Kerala State Chalachitra Academy chairman by the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The CPI(M) even allegedly tried to protect him while a Bengali actress and a youth raised sexual assault allegations against him in 2024. </p>.National award-winning Malayalam film director Ranjith booked in Bengaluru for sexually assaulting man.<p>But, this time the CPI(M) swiftly came out against Ranjith with cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan stating that there would not be any support to Ranjith. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also said that the action against Ranjith was proceeding in the proper manner even as he was not fully aware of the allegations.</p><p>Since the election model code of conduct is in place, the Chief Minister, who is also a candidate, has restrictions in intervening in routine administrative matters.</p><p>Ranjith himself had said in 2021 that some CPI(M) representatives sought his willingness to contest the assembly elections and he had left the decision to the party.</p><p>The fresh complaint against Ranjith pertained to sexual assault towards a young actress in a caravan at a film set at Fort Kochi in Kochi in January. There were eyewitnesses for the actress coming out of the caravan in a distressed manner.</p><p>Kochi city police commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar told reporters that there was prima facie evidence in the complaint. The actress had shared about the incident with some others in the film set and they tried to console her. She was also very upset and had to undergo counselling to recover from the trauma. He refused to divulge further details as the investigation is progressing.</p><p>Ranjith said in a bail petition that the complaint against him was the outcome of a conspiracy being hatched against him. Ranjith, who was held on Tuesday night reportedly while trying to move to a hideout, was sent to jail under judicial remand and the bail petition and custody application would be considered by the court on Saturday.</p><p>The charges levelled against him include section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on assault or the use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty. </p><p>Meanwhile, the incident has also brought to focus the inordinate delay on the part of the state government in taking further actions on the Justice Hema Committee report on the harassment in the Malayalam film industry that was submitted in December 2019. Only after portions of the report came out in 2024 following requests under the RTI that the government made further steps like initiating a policy for the film industry.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/malayalam-filmmaker-ranjith-remanded-to-judicial-custody-in-sexual-assault-case-3951741">arrest</a> of known Malayalam filmmaker and actor Ranjith in a sexual assault complaint of an actress is causing embarrassment to the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala just ahead of the crucial assembly polls.</p><p>Ranjith, who is a CPI(M) fellow traveler, was appointed as Kerala State Chalachitra Academy chairman by the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The CPI(M) even allegedly tried to protect him while a Bengali actress and a youth raised sexual assault allegations against him in 2024. </p>.National award-winning Malayalam film director Ranjith booked in Bengaluru for sexually assaulting man.<p>But, this time the CPI(M) swiftly came out against Ranjith with cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan stating that there would not be any support to Ranjith. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also said that the action against Ranjith was proceeding in the proper manner even as he was not fully aware of the allegations.</p><p>Since the election model code of conduct is in place, the Chief Minister, who is also a candidate, has restrictions in intervening in routine administrative matters.</p><p>Ranjith himself had said in 2021 that some CPI(M) representatives sought his willingness to contest the assembly elections and he had left the decision to the party.</p><p>The fresh complaint against Ranjith pertained to sexual assault towards a young actress in a caravan at a film set at Fort Kochi in Kochi in January. There were eyewitnesses for the actress coming out of the caravan in a distressed manner.</p><p>Kochi city police commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar told reporters that there was prima facie evidence in the complaint. The actress had shared about the incident with some others in the film set and they tried to console her. She was also very upset and had to undergo counselling to recover from the trauma. He refused to divulge further details as the investigation is progressing.</p><p>Ranjith said in a bail petition that the complaint against him was the outcome of a conspiracy being hatched against him. Ranjith, who was held on Tuesday night reportedly while trying to move to a hideout, was sent to jail under judicial remand and the bail petition and custody application would be considered by the court on Saturday.</p><p>The charges levelled against him include section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on assault or the use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty. </p><p>Meanwhile, the incident has also brought to focus the inordinate delay on the part of the state government in taking further actions on the Justice Hema Committee report on the harassment in the Malayalam film industry that was submitted in December 2019. Only after portions of the report came out in 2024 following requests under the RTI that the government made further steps like initiating a policy for the film industry.</p>