Kerala: Police Files Rape Case Against Actor Mukesh, CPI(M) However Unlikely To Ask Him To Quit MLA Post

A rape case has been filed against Malayalam film actor and Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA from Kollam, M Mukesh. 

This is the second rape case filed by the Kerala police following the release of the Justice Hema Commission report on sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry. The previous case was against actor Siddique.

Since the report’s release, allegations have emerged against several well-known actors and directors. 

Actor Jayasurya has been charged under Sections 354 (outraging the modesty of women), 354(A) (sexual harassment) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

There have been calls for those accused of sexual misconduct to step down from their positions. Siddique quit his post as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and Ranjith resigned from the position of chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

Mukesh, however, has stayed on and the CPI (M) too looks defiant despite demands for his resignation by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Communist Party of India (CPI) Wayanad candidate, Annie Raja.

Remarks by senior CPI (M) leader E P Jayarajan saying that Mukesh would have quit had two Congress MLAs charged with far graver sexual misconduct resigned, indicate that the party is likely to continue backing him for now.

Also Read: Malayalam Film Industry Reels From Sexual Harassment Allegations: FIR Against Director Ranjith On Bengali Actor's Complaint