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Malayalam Filmmaker Ranjith Held in 14-Day Judicial Custody Over Attempted Sexual Assault Allegation

The case now shifts into a formal police probe with a bail plea expected next.

Overview

  • Hours after his Tuesday arrest, a Kochi magistrate on Wednesday ordered 14 days of judicial custody and sent Ranjith to Ernakulam Sub Jail.
  • The complaint by an actress alleges he called her into a caravan on a film set and tried to assault her during a shoot.
  • Kochi Police registered an FIR citing offences that include sexual assault, outraging a woman’s modesty, wrongful confinement, and obscene gestures.
  • Police formed a special team and said they discreetly verified the claim, noted witnesses from the set, and arranged counselling for the survivor before she filed the complaint.
  • Ranjith told reporters the accusation is false as his lawyer readies a bail plea, while the film workers’ federation recommended suspending his union memberships and peers such as director Dr Biju voiced public criticism, recalling a 2024 harassment row that led to Ranjith’s academy exit.