Petition seeks CBI probe into Malayalam film industry sexual harassment cases

A petition has been filed before the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to the state government to hand over the investigation of all complaints from women in cinema to the CBI. The petition also sought a directive to the state government to submit the entire Justice K. Hema Committee report to the CBI.

The petitioners, Jannath A. and Amrutha Premjith submitted that the state government has miserably failed to present the report to the Legislative Assembly, casting doubt on the state’s real intentions regarding the safety of women. They argued that the state machinery is reluctant to register crimes based on the revelations in the report, amounting to a miscarriage of justice.

The individuals who are now accused and called out by survivors/victims are people with high political influence and wealth, leading to apprehensions that they may be unfairly protected and that an impartial investigation will not be conducted.

The petitioners pointed out that the state has kept the report dormant for the last five years. The argument for keeping the report undisclosed and not taking any legal measures under the guise of privacy is unacceptable. They argued that the legal norm is to protect the privacy of the victims and survivors, not that of the accused.

The petitioners also sought a directive to the state government to formulate a law for the protection of women in cinema based on the Justice Hema Committee report and its suggestions. They requested the constitution of a Special Court to conduct trials related to the alleged offences mentioned in the report and those revealed, if any, in the redacted pages of the Hema Committee report.