Thu Sep 26 10:54:12 UTC 2024: ## Malayalam Actor Siddique Ordered to Undergo Potency Test Following Sexual Assault Allegations
**Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala:** The Kerala High Court has ordered a potency test for popular Malayalam actor Siddique, who faces serious sexual misconduct allegations. The court, rejecting Siddique’s anticipatory bail plea, ruled that prima facie evidence supports the accusations levelled against him by a female artist.
The complainant, who initially raised concerns in 2019, formally lodged a complaint following the release of the Justice K. Hema Committee Report, which exposed widespread sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry. She alleges that Siddique, a former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 2016.
The High Court, highlighting the gravity of the accusations, dismissed claims questioning the complainant’s credibility. “Being a survivor of sexual atrocities is no ground to mistrust her,” the court asserted, adding that Siddique repeatedly tried to silence the survivor and defamed her character.
Following the court’s decision, a lookout notice has been issued against Siddique, who resigned from his AMMA position after the allegations surfaced. Police have confirmed the actor’s presence at the hotel on the date of the alleged incident.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Malayalam film industry and underscores the ongoing struggle for accountability and justice within the entertainment sector.
First Piper 