Actor Jayasurya appears for questioning in sexual abuse case

Thiruvananthapuram | Actor Jayasurya appeared before the police here for questioning related to a sexual abuse case registered against him.

The complaint was lodged by a female actor, who alleges that she was insulted during a film shoot at the Secretariat.

After the questioning at the Cantonment police station, Jayasurya spoke to the media, firmly denying all allegations against him. He claimed that he is a "living martyr" to the false nature of such accusations.

The FIR against the actor was registered on August 28 under section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Cantonment police station here.

She had levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, who is also an MLA, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu, who held a prominent role in the actors' association, AMMA.

Another case was lodged at Karamana police station here under sections 354 and 354 C (voyeurism) of the IPC on a complaint by another female actor who had alleged that Jayasurya molested her at a movie set near Thodupuzha during 2012-13.

Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the committee report.

Besides Jayasurya, the film personalities who are accused in cases of sexual assault or harassment include actors Sidhique, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu and director Ranjith.

The Justice K Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.