New Delhi:
Actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) Edavela Babu has been arrested after being questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in a rape case against him.
Babu was booked by the Ernakulam Town North police for rape charges based on a complaint filed by a woman actor. According to the petitioner, the incident occurred at Babu’s Kaloor residence, where she had visited to fill out a form for AMMA membership.
The Malayalam film industry is reeling from allegations of sexual assault and harassment against prominent actors and filmmakers, including Jayasurya, Siddique, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, and director Ranjith. Several actors, such as Minu Muneer and Sonia Malhaar, have come forward with serious allegations of sexual abuse.
These allegations follow the public release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which highlights the exploitation and harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The 235-page report reveals that the industry is controlled by 10-15 male producers, directors, and actors.
The Justice Hema Committee was established by the state government in 2017 and submitted its report in 2019. However, the report was not made public until recently due to legal challenges.
The uproar has led to the dissolution of the top panel of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists or AMMA. The panel, led by Mohanlal as president, said it is taking moral responsibility “in light of allegations made by some actors against some of the committee”.
A Special Investigation Team is now probing the allegations.
