The Supreme Court has extended Malayalam actor Siddique’s interim anticipatory bail in a rape case.
The Supreme Court extended Malayalam actor Siddique’s interim anticipatory bail in a rape case until next week.
The hearing was adjourned until next week due to the ill health of the petitioner’s counsel, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi.
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar told the bench that the petitioner was appearing before the investigator but was not cooperating.
In his affidavit filed in the top court, Siddique argued that the authorities made him an accused without conducting a proper probe and claimed that the police probe team was raising issues not mentioned by the actress who filed the complaint.
Siddique also sought to bring to the attention of the court that he is not at all a “powerful personality” and has done a huge majority of his roles as a supporting actor only.
THE PREVIOUS HEARING
On October 22, the bench extended Siddique’s interim anticipatory bail for two weeks, allowing time to file a rejoinder.
He added that after the court’s interim order, Siddique appeared before the investigating officer.
Justice Trivedi noted the eight-year delay in the complaint, while Ranjit Kumar discussed the Justice Hema Committee’s report on abuse in Malayalam cinema.
Kumar argued that the victim came forward after the Hema Committee report and requested the court to consider the FIR delay.
The young actress accused Siddique of sexually exploiting her in 2016 after he promised film industry opportunities, following the Justice Hema Committee report.
