Kerala HC asks state government to submit Hema Committee report in sealed cover

The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the state government to submit to in a sealed cover the Hema Committee report on atrocities against women in the Malayalam film industry.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque and Justice S Manu, while considering a PIL filed by Thiruvananthapuram resident Navas, said the report contains serious allegations.

The high court admitted the writ petition and directed the government to file its counter affidavit.

The court asked the government its next course of action based on the report submitted by the Hema Committee. The government lawyer submitted that it is not possible to register a case unless someone files a complaint.

The state government said it has all the names mentioned in the uncensored original report which was a confidential document.

It said the committee was entrusted to study and report the situation of women in the movie industry but the government has limitations in registering cases as the statements were recorded by the committee upon ensuring confidentiality.

It is not possible to register a case against that confidentiality statement, the government said, adding that cases will be registered if someone comes forward and files a complaint.

The high court on Thursday on its own impleaded the State Women’s Commission in the matter.

The PIL sought to publish the original report and asked the high court to direct the state government to initiate criminal proceedings in connection with the alleged sexual offences mentioned in the report.

The Justice K Hema Committee was formed after the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep, to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam cinema.

Even though the report was filed in 2019, the government did not release the details as it was suspected to contain sensitive information.

Earlier, the publication of the censored report, which was to be released on July 24, was put on hold by the Kerala High Court on a plea moved by a Malayalam film producer.

Subsequently, the HC dismissed the plea on August 13 and directed the government to make the report public within a week from then.

However, the publication was again delayed in view of an actress’s plea which was heard by the HC on August 19.

The division bench of the high court referred the case to a single bench which did not entertain the multiple petitions.

Subsequently, the government released the report on Monday.