After Kerala High Court's Rebuke, First FIR Filed Based On Hema Committee Report On Sexual Harassment In Malayalam Film Industry

Following the Kerala High Court's directive to "review the entire Hema Committee report and take action if any offences are found," police have registered a case against a well-known makeup artist, Indian Express reported.

This marks the first case filed based on the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report, which was released last month and outlined the challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The alleged sexual misconduct of the makeup artist was mentioned in testimonies provided to the committee.

Police in Ponkunnam, Kottayam district, registered a sexual harassment case based on the statement of a woman from Kollam. The case has since been transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was established to investigate sexual misconduct cases in light of the report’s release.

According to the police, the First Information Report (FIR) was registered under sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 354A (unwelcome physical contact or sexual advances, demanding sexual favors), and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code.

"The alleged incident occurred at a lodge in Ponkunnam in 2014 during a film shoot. After the Hema Committee report mentioned the incident, police contacted the survivor, who agreed to pursue legal action. We recorded her statement, and the SIT will now investigate the case," an officer explained.

Earlier this month, the High Court criticised the state government for its four-year delay in acting on the Hema Committee report and instructed the government to provide an unredacted copy of the report and all related documents to the SIT.

The court ordered, "Let the SIT thoroughly examine the report to identify any cognizable or other offences and take appropriate action. The actions taken must be reported to the court within two weeks."

The SIT had previously been addressing allegations and complaints that arose after the release of the Hema Committee report, which was not directly referenced in the report itself.