Justice Hema Committee: Kerala HC directs SIT to appoint nodal officer

Kochi(The Uttam Hindu): A Special Bench of the Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating complaints regarding sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry to appoint a nodal officer who could be easily contacted by victims, complainants, or witnesses for any concerns.

Incidentally, this special bench was formed after the Justice Hema Committee report, which revealed the appalling conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry, surfaced and led to 11 FIRs being registered against leading Malayalam film actors.

"It was pointed out that some of the victims who preferred complaints before the Hema Committee have since approached the SIT. Some of them have received intimidating calls and they can't approach the SIT as and when they get such threatening calls. Taking note of the same, we deem it appropriate to direct the SIT to immediately nominate a nodal officer and give adequate publicity of the name and contact of the nodal officers nominated by them," the special bench said.

The court stated once the nodal officer is appointed the victims, complainants or witnesses could get in touch with the officer who could convey their concerns to the SIT.

The Hema Committee report was published in August and by now all those actors who had FIRs registered against them, have got bail and these include two-time CPI-M legislator Mukesh, Siddique, Edavela Babu, Jayasurya, Ranjith, Maniyanpillai Raju, Nivin Pauly and a few others.

At an earlier hearing, the Bench had admitted a petition filed by the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) which called for the implementation of a Cinema Code of Conduct (CCC) to establish safe, fair, and well-regulated working conditions on film sets.

The order directing the SIT to appoint a nodal officer was passed after the senior counsel representing the WCC raised concerns that witnesses and victims who wished to file complaints of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry were getting threats to prevent them from filing complaints.

The court posted the case for the next hearing on December 11.