Kerala HC Sets Up Special Bench to Hear Malayalam Film Industry Sexual Abuse Matters

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court has constituted a special bench to handle matters related to the Justice Hema Committee report, which detailed widespread sexual abuse of women actors and technicians in the Malayalam film industry.

On Thursday, a bench led by Acting Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque and Justice S Manu announced the creation of the special bench while hearing producer Sajimon Parayil’s appeal. Parayil had challenged a single-judge bench’s decision to release the report after redacting sensitive information.

Details about the composition of the special bench, including whether a woman judge will preside, remain unclear. The bench is expected to address multiple pleas, including those calling for criminal action against individuals mentioned in the report and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the allegations.

The court has directed the state government to submit the complete Hema Committee report, including redacted sections, in a sealed cover by September 10.

Released on August 19, the report highlighted a “power group” of male actors enforcing unofficial bans, wage disputes and mistreatment of junior artists.

Allegations against prominent industry figures have also reignited the #MeToo movement in Kerala’s film sector, prompting the formation of a special investigation team to probe the accusations.