Kerala HC denies bail to actor Siddique, lookout notice issued in rape case

Kochi: The Kerala Police have issued a lookout notice for prominent Malayalam actor Siddique, following the high court's recent rejection of his anticipatory bail plea in a rape case.

The lookout notice, featuring Siddique's photograph, was published in several Malayalam and English newspapers. It stated that he is involved in a case under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, filed at the Museum Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram.

Siddique has been untraceable since the court denied his anticipatory bail plea on September 24. Although the case was filed last month, the police had not taken steps to arrest him.

Last month, a young actress made a rape allegation through the media, which led to Siddique stepping down as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). Following this, she filed a formal complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram city police.

Following the release of the Hema committee report last month, several women filed sexual harassment and rape cases against various film industry professionals, including prominent actors. With the exception of Siddique, all others have been granted anticipatory bail.

Judge CS Dias denied Siddique's bail, citing the severity and gravity of the allegations, along with evidence suggesting his involvement. The judge deemed custodial interrogation necessary for a thorough investigation, making Siddique's detention unavoidable. The court dismissed Siddique's claim that the complaint lacked credibility, stating it unfairly disparaged the survivor's situation

“A woman’s experiences of sexual assault are not a reflection of her character but rather an indication of her suffering. The attempt to blame a woman for speaking out may be a strategy to silence her, which is hostile to the supremacy of the law,” the court said.

The court acknowledged an eight-year delay between the alleged incident and complaint but emphasized that victims of sexual abuse and assault often face psychological, emotional, and social hurdles that can prevent timely reporting, citing the need to consider the trauma's impact.

In 2014, Siddique contacted a woman on Facebook, built a relationship with her and her mother, and promised cinema work. In 2016, he invited them to a movie preview, then asked the woman to discuss a new project in his Thiruvananthapuram hotel room, where he allegedly raped her.

In 2016, Siddique allegedly lured the survivor to his hotel room under the guise of discussing a film project, after first inviting her and her parents to a movie preview. The survivor claims he then raped her in the hotel room.