Kerala govt forms seven-member police team to probe atrocities faced by women in movie industry
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): In the wake of many women actors narrating their horrific sexual assault experiences in the cinema industry, the Kerala government on Sunday formed a special team to probe the atrocities faced by them.
The government on Sunday formed a seven-member team after a high-level meeting of senior police officials was called by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The chief minister's office said the special team will be headed by IG Sparjan Kumar and will include four senior women IPS officers of the state.
"Crime Branch ADGP H Venkatesh will oversee the functioning of the team," the CMO said in a statement.
Apart from Kumar, the team will include DIG S Ajeetha Begum, Crime Branch HQ SP Merin Joseph, Coastal Police AIG Poonkuzhali, Kerala Police Academy Assistant Director Aishwarya Dongre, AIG Ajith V and Crime Branch SP S Madhusoodhan.
The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government post the 2017 actress assault case, has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.
Rocked by the Justice K Hema Committee's explosive findings of harassment and abuse of women professionals, the Malayalam film industry on Sunday witnessed two high-profile resignations related to the issues.
Director Ranjith stepped down as chairman of state-run film academy Kerala Chalachitra Academy and actor Siddique resigned as general secretary of A.M.M.A (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists).
Even as political pressure was building against Ranjith, actor Siddique resigned from A.M.M.A. amid voices from within his fraternity seeking his resignation.
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SC order granting Kejriwal bail 'big relief', message to BJP-led Centre to stop dictatorship: AAP
New Delhi (PTI): AAP on Friday demanded that the BJP should apologise to the country for keeping a "staunchly honest" leader like Arvind Kejriwal in jail, and said the Supreme Court order granting him bail in the excise policy case has exposed the BJP's "lies".
At a joint press conference here, senior AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the Supreme Court order granting bail to Kejriwal was a moment of "big relief" for the party and its leaders and workers.
"It is not just the issue of bail granted to Kejriwal. The court has also given a big message to the BJP-led Centre to stop its dictatorship," he said.
He said the top court order is important not just for AAP but also as an assurance that if anyone resorted to "dictatorship", the Supreme Court would ensure the dominance of the Constitution.
The BJP was using the agencies to keep Kejriwal in jail, Sisodia alleged, adding that the CBI deliberately arrested Kejriwal to keep him in prison.
"The BJP intended to keep Kejriwal in jail, so the CBI arrested him after he got bail in the ED case. The CBI fulfilled the intentions of the BJP," the AAP leader alleged.
"The bail order is a big slap on the BJP's face. The court noted that the CBI was acting like a caged parrot," Sisodia said.
He said the BJP should introspect as it has been "completely exposed" and "apologise to the country for keeping a staunchly honest leader like Kejriwal in jail".
On the BJP's reaction to the bail order that the apex court granted the AAP national convenor conditional bail and that he continues to be an accused in the corruption case, the former deputy chief minister said, "BJP is talking about bail conditions imposed on Kejriwal because it is scared."
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed that the whole excise policy case was based on a foundation of "lies" to "defame Kejriwal and finish off the Aam Aadmi Party".
"Kejriwal's bail granted by the Supreme Court is proof that the BJP's mountain of lies has now collapsed," he said.
"AAP will the defeat of the BJP in the Haryana and Delhi polls. Kejriwal's presence will strengthen us," Singh added.
