An additional district and sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram has provided anticipatory bail to noted filmmaker and former MLA, P T Kunju Muhammad, in a sexual harassment case filed against him. The bail comes with a set of strict conditions following allegations of inappropriate behaviour during the selection process for the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).
Court's Bail Conditions and Immediate Requirements
The court's order mandates that Kunju Muhammad must present himself before the investigating officer within seven days of receiving the official order. A key condition of the anticipatory bail is that if the police arrest him, he must be released on bail immediately. Furthermore, the court has explicitly directed that he should not become involved in any similar cases during this period.
Details of the Alleged Incident and Police Investigation
The complaint was filed by a woman who was also a member of the committee responsible for selecting films for the prestigious International Film Festival of Kerala. The alleged incident occurred last month at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram, where the jury members were staying.
The complainant stated that Kunju Muhammad behaved inappropriately towards her when he visited her room after returning to the hotel following a film screening. Distressed by the event, the woman first submitted a complaint to the Chief Minister, describing the act as an insult to womanhood. The CM's office subsequently forwarded this complaint to the Cantonment police station.
After the woman reiterated her allegations directly to the police, a formal case was registered. The decision to register the case was made after authorities reviewed the CCTV footage from the hotel. In a report submitted to the court, the police stated that their preliminary investigation found the complaint against Kunju Muhammad to be prima facie true.
Filmmaker's Denial and Background
In response to the serious allegations, P T Kunju Muhammad has firmly denied any wrongdoing. He maintains that he did not behave inappropriately and suggested that the complainant may have misunderstood his actions. The filmmaker, who is a Left-backed former MLA, has also expressed his willingness to apologise to the woman.
At the time of the alleged incident, Kunju Muhammad was serving as the chairman of the selection committee for Malayalam films at the IFFK. The case has cast a shadow over the film festival's preparatory activities and sparked conversations about the safety and respect of professionals in the industry.
