Sexual abuse allegations: SIT chargesheets 26 cases, survivors' reluctance to give statements stalls probe

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government to probe allegations of sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry has so far filed charge sheets in 26 cases out of 120 FIRs registered in different police stations. In many cases, the investigation has been stalled with the survivors expressing unwillingness to cooperate with the probe.
Resultantly, the SIT has informed respective courts that it cannot proceed with the case where survivors are not coming forward to give statements and as and when they are ready to cooperate, the investigation will be resumed.

The SIT filed 35 cases based on the Hema Committee report. Eighty-five cases were filed based on revelations on social media and disclosure by survivors after the contents of the Hema Committee report were made public. Out of 35 cases registered based on the Hema Committee report, charge sheet was filed in one case involving allegations against a make-up artiste. In the remaining cases registered in police stations based on initial revelations by survivors in the wake of publication of Hema Committee report, 25 cases were chargesheeted.

"In cases that were recorded directly based on the Hema Committee report, there were no names. It meant we were required to gather information from survivors, and they said they did not want to proceed with the investigation. Even in other cases, survivors did not turn up for giving statements, even though the court sent them notices thrice. However, we have informed the court that we will resume the investigation whenever they are ready to give statements," said a senior police official associated with the SIT.

In September 2024, the State Government was directed to furnish a full copy of the Justice Hema Committee Report, together with all its annexures - documentary and otherwise - to the SIT. The court also instructed the SIT  to go through the report in its entirety to see whether any offence, cognizable or otherwise, has been made out at the instance of any person and proceed to take suitable action in accordance with law by treating the contents of the report as “information” to set the law in motion.

While the SIT made some headway in the investigation, several pleas were filed in the Supreme Court questioning the HC's order to file FIRs based on the revelations in the Hema Committee report. Malayalam actor Maala Parvathi had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, raising serious allegations against the SIT and accusing cops of targeting the women who recorded their statements before the Hema Committee.

The Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala Government in 2017 and tasked with studying issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Following HC intervention, the redacted report was released on August 19, 2024.