On Friday, the Supreme Court decided to dismiss petitions that challenged the Kerala High Court’s order from last year. This order told the police to start investigations based on a report by the Justice Hema Committee, which was made public last August. The Supreme Court said it would not stop the police from looking into claims of sexual abuse against women actors in the Malayalam film industry. These women had shared their stories with a special committee.
The court, led by Justice Vikram Nath, made it clear that under Indian law, the police must investigate if there is a reasonable complaint about a crime. The justices also said that if the police learn about a possible crime, they are required to act according to the law.
One person who filed a petition, filmmaker Sajimon Parayil, argued that the witnesses who talked to the committee do not want to file complaints with the police. He claimed that a case can’t be opened unless there is clear evidence a crime has happened. The Supreme Court said the High Court should look into this concern.
Two other petitioners, who are make-up artists, said that since they spoke to the committee, police have been asking them to share their stories again. They don’t want to be forced to speak to the police. The Supreme Court agreed that they should take their worries to the High Court to ensure they are not pressured.
The state government informed the Supreme Court that some victims are feeling pressured to come forward. After gathering initial information, the police set up a special team that filed 26 FIRs based on the Justice Hema Committee’s report. One of the petitioners questioned whether there was enough evidence to show a crime happened.
Victims, working together as the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), supported the police action and the High Court’s order to investigate the women’s statements. The report by the Justice Hema Committee was created in 2017 but wasn’t made public until last year.
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