SIT arrests Malayalam actor Edavela Babu in sexual assault case

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested the actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), Edavela Babu, in connection with a sexual assault case.

Although the Ernakulam principal sessions court has granted him bail, he will be released after completing the necessary procedures, ANI reported.

Also Read: Sexual assault case: Kerala court grants bail to CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, actor Edavela Babu

The SIT has conducted an interrogation and documented his arrest.

Earlier, on September 5, a female actor accused Mukesh of rape, along with allegations of sexual assault against Edavela Babu, Jayasurya, and others. In response, an FIR under section 376 (rape) of the IPC was filed against Mukesh, who contended that the accusation stemmed from his refusal to give in to the complainant's blackmail attempts.

This comes amid multiple FIRs against various high-profile figures in the Malayalam film industry following allegations of sexual harassment against several directors and actors, sparked by revelations from the Justice K Hema Committee report.

Also Read: Malayalam actor Minu Muneer alleges sexual abuse: ‘Pulled me on bed saying…’; Mukesh, Idavela Babu, Jayasurya under fire

The report, made public on August 19, after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, noted that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report, produced by a three-member panel led by a former Kerala High Court judge and submitted to the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government in December 2019, was only released this month. In response, the government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further investigate the issues faced by women in the industry.

The Kerala government formed this committee after the 2017 actress assault case, which exposed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the industry.

Also Read: Kerala Police issues arrest warrant against Malayalam actor Siddique over sexual assault case: Report

On August 25, the state government announced the creation of a seven-member special investigation team to investigate these allegations.

(With inputs from agencies)