Kochi, April 1 – Malayalam film director Ranjith has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days in connection with a sexual assault complaint filed by a young actress, even as the Kerala government asserted its strong support for the victim and promised strict legal action.
Ranjith, who was produced before a magistrate, has been remanded and is set to be moved to the Ernakulam sub-jail. His lawyer told the media that a bail application would be filed soon.
The director was arrested late Tuesday night. Following his detention, he reportedly experienced physical discomfort and was briefly taken to the General Hospital.
The police action came at a time when efforts were underway to secure anticipatory bail.
According to investigators, Ranjith had been alerted in recent days about the possibility of police proceedings. As the investigation intensified, his legal team allegedly advised him to go into hiding.
He then attempted to evade arrest by abandoning his vehicle and fleeing in another car with an associate, a move tracked by the police, leading to his arrest from Thodupuzha.
Investigators said that people present on the shooting set on the day of the alleged incident were aware of the developments but assumed the young actress might not pursue a complaint.
Police examined multiple angles, including whether there were disputes over film roles.
However, it was found that the actress had been assigned a prominent role and that most of her portions had already been shot.
After ruling out the possibility of a false complaint, police proceeded with the arrest.
Reacting to the developments, Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian said the government stood firmly with the victim.
He described the allegations as serious and said that any wrongdoing, if proven, was unacceptable.
The minister clarified that Ranjith had been appointed to a key cultural position based on his contributions to cinema, but stressed that no individual would be above the law.
Cherian urged survivors to come forward and not withdraw complaints, assuring institutional support.
He added that three senior police officers had been specifically tasked with handling such cases, underlining the government’s commitment to ensuring women’s safety.