MALAYALAM film director Ranjith on Tuesday approached the Kerala High Court with an anticipatory bail plea in connection with a sexual assault case. Ranjith had last month stepped down as the Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy after pressure mounted on him from several quarters following the Bengali actress’ revelation that in 2009, she was called to a flat in Kochi where Ranjith “misbehaved” with her. Trouble began for Ranjith days after the publication of the Justice Hema committee report, which deals with issues of rampant sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.

 

The case against him was registered at the Ernakulam Town Police Station based on an email complaint made by the actress. However, Ranjith, in his bail plea, dismissed all the allegations against him and said he was being ‘implicated” after 15 years. He alleged that a section of people in the Academy has been scheming against him to remove him from the post. The Hema Committee’s report revealed that women in the film industry face sexual demands, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of safety in the workplace, insufficient basic facilities and wage disparities. As of now, FIRs have been registered against Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyan Pillai Raju, directors Ranjith, V K Prakash, production executives Vichu and Noble after women actresses registered complaints.