Kerala's Special Investigation Team to Close Sexual Abuse Cases in Film Industry

Closure of Cases in Malayalam Film Industry Investigation

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) established by the Kerala government to look into claims of sexual abuse within the Malayalam film sector has announced its decision to close all ongoing cases. This conclusion comes as many women have shown hesitation in pursuing legal action, as reported by a local news outlet.

Following the publication of the Justice Hema committee report in August, which highlighted issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the industry, numerous women came forward with allegations against male colleagues regarding past misconduct.

In response to these allegations, the state government initiated a seven-member panel comprising senior police officials to investigate the claims of sexual abuse.

According to reports, a total of 120 first information reports (FIRs) were filed, with 35 of these stemming from testimonies provided to the Hema committee. The remaining 85 cases were based on social media allegations and statements from the women involved.

Chargesheets have been submitted in 26 of these cases, with 20 already closed and the rest expected to follow suit shortly, as indicated by local news sources.

The SIT has informed the courts that it could not advance with the investigations due to the lack of statements from the women. The inquiry may resume if they choose to provide their testimonies in the future.