Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan booked for sexually assaulting man in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Oct 28: A case has been registered against Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan on a complaint by a 31-year-old man, who alleged that he was sexually assaulted by him at a five-star hotel here, police said on Monday.
In the FIR, the complainant has claimed that he met the director in 2012 in Kozhikode when he had gone to meet actor Mammootty during the shoot of 'Bavuttiyude Namathil', a film written and produced by Balakrishnan.
According to FIR, the complainant alleged that the director thereafter managed to get his phone number and invited him to the hotel near Kempegowda International Airport in December 2012 where he allegedly offered him alcohol and sexually assaulted him.
"The complaint was initially filed at a police station in Kerala but the case was transferred to Bengaluru because the alleged incident of sexual assault occurred at a five-star hotel here and an FIR has now been registered," a senior police official said.
"The incident allegedly took place in 2012 but the complainant came out now in the wake of a series of sexual harrassment allegations by many artists in the Malayalam film industry which he claimed gave him the courage to register his complaint," the official said.
"Based on the complaint received, a case was registered on October 26 at BIAL (Bangalore International Airport Limited) police station under section 377 (unnatural offences) and 66 E (violation of privacy) of Information Technology Act against the director and the matter is being investigated," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Congress misleading public on National Herald case, matter still in court: BJP
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of running misleading propaganda over the trial court's decision in the National Herald case and said the court refused to take cognisance of the complaint but did not set aside the case.
The case is still pending trial in the Delhi High Court, and the trial court in its order on Tuesday said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) can continue its investigation, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted.
"The court yesterday (Tuesday) said that since it is a private complaint and no FIR has been lodged, it will not take cognizance of it. It's a technical matter. The court also said that ED can continue its investigation further. The court did not set it aside," Bhatia told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here
"Its trial is still going on. Sonia Gandhi is still Accused Number-1 and Rahul Gandhi Accused Number-2," the BJP spokesperson said, alleging, "The Gandhi family thrives on deceit, deception, and propaganda."
