Thiruvananthapuram: The Cantonment police here on Tuesday arrested veteran filmmaker PT Kunju Muhammad in connection with a sexual harassment case. According to reports, the police formally recorded his arrest and produced him before the court the same day. As he had already obtained anticipatory bail in the case, he was allowed to leave the court.

It is learnt that Kunju Muhammad reached the Cantonment police station on Tuesday evening on his own. However, the police recorded his arrest discreetly, as he is a left sympathiser and former MLA.

During interrogation, he denied the woman filmmaker’s allegations against him and termed the complaint false.

He is booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 74 (using force with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman) and 75(1) (sexual harassment).

The Cantonment police registered the FIR on December 8 after the complainant submitted a petition to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Police have since recorded her statement and collected CCTV footage from a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram where the alleged incident took place. However, questions remain over the delay in registering the case.

According to the complaint, the filmmaker allegedly misbehaved with the woman when she arrived at the hotel for a meeting related to the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2025.

Kunju Muhammad is known for films such as Garshom (1999) and Paradesi (2007).