The Kerala police have opposed the anticipatory bail of noted film director and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader, P.T. Kunju Muhammed, ex-MLA, in a case concerning the alleged outraging of the modesty of a woman filmmaker.
Assistant Commissioner, Cantonment, Stuart Keeler, told The Hindu that the police have moved the court for recording the complainant’s sworn statement in camera before a judicial magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)
Mr. Muhammed, a noted film director and former Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] legislator from Perambra in the Kozhikode district, chaired the jury, which selected Malayalam films for the ongoing 30th International Film Festival of Kerala.
The police case was that Mr. Muhammed invited the woman to his suite room in a posh hotel under the pretext of discussing the movie selection process and outraged her modesty, forcing the “survivor” to flee, on November 6.
On November 26, the woman petitioned the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), which forwarded the complaint to the State Police Chief (SPC) Ravada Chandrasekhar for further investigation.
On December 2, the Cantonment police charged Mr. Muhammed with offences of outraging the modesty of a woman, illegal detention, intimidation, and trespass under the relevant sections of the BNSS. They recorded the woman’s statement and lodged an FIR against the director at the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III in Thiruvananthapuram.
Officials stated that the prosecution informed the court that the police had gathered CCTV footage from the hotel’s surveillance system showing the woman entering Mr. Muhammed’s suite and leaving hurriedly.
The prosecution contended that Mr. Muhammed’s judicial remand and subsequent detention for questioning and evidence collection, including private mobile phone communications between him and the alleged victim, were essential for further investigation of the case.
Moreover, the prosecution argued that enlarging the accused on anticipatory bail risked influencing witnesses and destroying evidence.
Mr. Muhammed has since denied the allegation. He said the accusation stemmed from a possible misunderstanding of his actions and expressed willingness to render a public apology.
Last week, the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy vice-chairperson, Cuckoo Parameswaran, said the woman filmmaker had complained to the academy, which took the grievance with the utmost seriousness. She said the Academy also promised support for the complainant.
