Ranjith Balakrishnan, the popular Malayalam film director and actor, has been booked by the Karnataka police in a case of alleged sexual assault against a 31-year-old man. The FIR, which was earlier registered in Kerala was shifted to Bengaluru after the man claimed the assault took place in a hotel in the city. The offence is registered at the BIAL police station under section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code and 66 E (violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act, the Indian Express reported on Monday.
The complainant said that he met the celebrated actor-producer at East Hill in Kerala’s Kozhikode city in 2012. The primary motive behind his visit was to meet actor Mamooty at the set of the film Bavuttiyude Namathil, the man said. Notably, Ranjith was the writer-producer of the film.
Detailing the crime further the man alleged that Ranjith took his number and called him to a luxury hotel at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. "He offered me alcohol and sexually assaulted me. He forced me to engage in oral sex,” the complainant said.
He further alleged that Ranjith took photos and videos of the act and sent them to an actress. The complaint, which was first registered at the Kasaba police station in Kozhikode in the last week of August this year was shifted to Bengaluru. The Kozhikode Principal Sessions Court granted anticipatory bail to Ranjith in the case for a period of 30 days, the report added.
In August, a Bengali actress file.
