Actor Sidhique questioned again by SIT in rape case

Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam film actor Sidhique was on Saturday questioned again by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in a rape case registered against him.

This is the second time he has been questioned by the SIT in the case lodged on a complaint by a young woman actor.

Sidhique was questioned for close to two hours by the officials at the Cantonment police station here.

He arrived for questioning around 10.40 AM and left close to 12.30 PM.

The actor was questioned for nearly four hours by the SIT earlier this week on Monday.

The rape case was registered against him after a young female actor alleged that Sidhique sexually assaulted her at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram under the pretext of offering her a role in a film.

The Supreme Court had granted Sidhique interim protection from arrest last week, after the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

The High Court had cited the seriousness of the accusations and the need for custodial interrogation, while dismissing his bail plea.

Sidhique has been booked under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

He claims the complainant has been harassing him with false accusations since 2019.

This case is part of a broader investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against prominent Malayalam film personalities, following the Justice K Hema Committee report on sexual crimes against female actors.

Multiple FIRs have been registered in connection with these allegations.