The Supreme Court of India has granted interim bail to Malayalam actor Siddique in a rape case, temporarily staying his arrest for two weeks based on conditions set by the trial court. This decision follows the rejection of Siddique’s anticipatory bail plea by the Kerala High Court. After the high court’s ruling, Siddique had reportedly gone into hiding for six days before appearing before the Supreme Court, where his plea was listed as the 62nd case.
During the hearing, Siddique, who is 67 years old and has appeared in 365 films, argued that the complaint against him was filed after an unreasonable delay. The court took this argument into account and questioned the state regarding its actions over the past eight years. The state and the survivor responded by noting that the complaint was submitted only after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which addressed issues facing women in the Malayalam film industry. Siddique was represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, while Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appeared for the state.
An arrest warrant had been issued by the Kerala Police against Siddique, along with a lookout notice at all national exit points. A special investigation team has been established to probe the matter. The Supreme Court has instructed Siddique to cooperate with the investigation and has adjourned the case for two weeks.
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