The Kerala High Court denied the anticipatory bail application of Malayalam film actor Siddique in connection with a rape case filed against him following a complaint from an actress. Justice C.S. Dias announced the dismissal of the application, though the detailed order explaining the court's reasoning has not yet been released.
The complainant alleges that Siddique invited her to Muscot Hotel in Trivandrum under the pretense of discussing a film, where he subsequently raped and assaulted her. The complaint was submitted to the Special Investigation Team formed to probe incidents of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry. An FIR was registered at the Museum Police Station in Trivandrum.
In his petition, actor Siddique stated that the complainant, a devoted supporter and member of the Women's Cinema Collective (WCC), is making these allegations in response to his press conference with other officials from the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report. He also noted that the same complainant had made allegations against him in 2019, but has since altered the details with the intent of having him charged with non-bailable offenses.