Fri Sep 13 11:56:00 UTC 2024: ## SIT to Begin Collecting Statements from Victims in Hema Committee Cases
Thiruvananthapuram: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating complaints of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry will begin collecting statements from victims in the coming days. The decision comes after a high-level meeting at the Police headquarters, where Vigilance ADGP Venkatesh instructed the SIT to proceed with the investigation.
The SIT will hold face-to-face meetings with the victims within the next 10 days. Following the statements, the team will collect evidence and identify witnesses. After the Onam festival, the SIT will be divided into four teams to streamline the process.
Approximately 50 individuals who approached the Hema Committee will provide statements. Following this, FIRs will be registered and the accused individuals will be questioned.
The Kerala High Court had previously criticized the state government for delaying action on the complaints even after transferring the case to the DGP in February 2021.
Meanwhile, Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) General Secretary B Unnikrishnan criticized the Hema Committee for allegedly collecting statements selectively. He claimed the committee only approached ten members of FEFKA, despite having around 600 active members during its functioning period.
Unnikrishnan accused the committee of refusing to hear testimonies from members of AMMA, FEFKA, and the Kerala Film Producers’ Association. He also alleged that the committee excluded accounts from other major unions within the industry.
First Piper 