The police on Thursday have arrested filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan after actor Manju Warrier filed a complaint against him for defaming her on social media. In her complaint, filed at the Elamakkara Police station in Kochi, the actor stated that the director has been blackmailing and defaming her through his posts on social media.
The director, who has helmed several award-winning feature films, had also cast Manju Warrier in 'Kayyattam', a film which essays a woman in her 40s trekking to the Himalayas and confronting questions about life.
For the past one week, Sanal Kumar had been taking to social media making several claims that Manju Warrier's life was in danger. He said she was under threat as she had testified in the conspiracy case to harm officers investigating the actress assault case, involving Dileep.
Sanal Kumar said his suspicions were confirmed when soon after Manju Warrier testified, an investigating officer was removed from the case. He also claimed that Manju Warrier was not replying to his public posts as she was being held hostage by her manager.
Recently, Sanal Kumar had also made it clear he would not approach the police regarding his allegations as he did not have faith in the law. However, he had taken to social media and claimed he had filed a complaint to the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) who, he said, has also remained silent on the issue.
The other day, he had sent a letter to the President of India and the Chief Justice raising 'apprehensions on the law and order situation in the wake of various incidents in Kerala, starting from transgender Shalu's death to Manju Warrier's case'
