Ernakulam, Kerala:

The lawyer of Malayalam actor and CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh has said that his client is ready to cooperate with the police investigation in the case registered against him in connection with sexual harassment allegations levelled by a woman actor.

The lawyer, Geo Paul, has also stated that the investigation team must collect as much evidence as possible, and if the allegations are found to be false, the police can file a refer report.

“He produced some evidence which I need to produce in court on Monday. He even expressed his willingness to cooperate in the investigation, he is ready to give a statement that is required by the police,” Geo Paul told ANI.

“The collection of the evidence doesn’t mean that they are going to collect the evidence in favour of the victim alone. They will collect as much evidence as possible. If it is found that her allegations are false, they can file a refer report. We are ready to cooperate, that is our stand,” he added.

The advocate also questioned the delay taken by the victim to complaint against the actor saying that she is an educated woman and should have complained immediately after the alleged incident.

“You should also realise that these allegations are coming after 15 years. Where was she? She ought to have made the complaint then and there,” he said.

The First Information Report against Mukesh was filed under Section 376 (rape), which is a non-bailable offence, Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and 509 (insult the modesty of a woman by word, sound, gesture or object) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The District and Sessions Court, Ernakulam, directed the investigation officer on Thursday not to arrest him till September 3 after noting that there was no chance of him “fleeing from the clutches of law”.

Mukesh was booked on the complaint of actress Minu Muneer.

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contains shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals.

The report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.

Following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, there have been sexual harassment allegations against a number of actors in the Malayalam film industry.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)