Malayalam film director Ranjith seeks anticipatory bail in case of misconduct

Ace Malayalam screenwriter and film director Ranjith, against whom an FIR has been registered following a complaint of "inappropriate behaviour" by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra, has decided to seek anticipatory bail.

It was late on Monday night that the Kochi Police Commissioner got the complaint in an email from Mitra, and the FIR was registered soon thereafter.

Ranjith, who was the Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, quit the post on Sunday after tremendous pressure was put on the Pinarayi Vijayan government by the Opposition parties and the media had a field day ever since the Hema Committee report which was made public recently, exposing "rampant sexual abuse" in the Malayalam film industry.

After Sunday, Ranjith became incommunicado and things turned worse for him last Monday evening with the news that Mitra lodged her complaint.

With the Vijayan government under tremendous duress, a special police team comprising four lady IPS officers amongst others have now been formed to probe the findings of the Hema Committee report and its lady team member AIG of Police G. Poonkuzhali has been asked to look into the complaint of Mitra.

In her complaint, she pointed out that the traumatic incident took place in 2009 when she went to meet Ranjith at an apartment in Kochi in connection with the latter's film ‘Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha’, which made her feel "uncomfortable."

What has raised eyebrows is that Mitra had previously said that she would not register a complaint in the matter.

"I do not want to go down there and submit a complaint because I have worked here. The least I expect is an apology,” Mitra had said.

In the complaint, Mitra claimed that Ranjith had touched her with "sexual intent," adding that she had also informed scriptwriter Joshy Joseph about the incident.