Thrissur: Malayalam actor and Kollam MLA M Mukesh was arrested by the Wadakkanchery police on Monday in connection with a sexual assault case but was later released on bail. The arrest took place discreetly around 7 p.m. under the supervision of Special Investigation Team (SIT) officer SP Aiswarya Dongre. To maintain confidentiality, the police quickly completed the arrest, followed by Mukesh undergoing a medical examination at the Wadakkanchery Taluk Hospital.
The case against Mukesh was filed by a female colleague from Aluva, Ernakulam, who alleged that Mukesh attempted to sexually assault her in a hotel room in Wadakkanchery in 2011 during the production of the Malayalam film Naatakame Ulakam. She accused Mukesh of trying to force himself on her and pushing her onto the bed. This follows his recent arrest in a separate sexual harassment case where the actor was interrogated by the SIT at the Coastal Police Headquarters in Ernakulam.
Mukesh had been granted anticipatory bail by the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court in that case, on the condition that he cooperate with the investigation as required. In the Maradu case, filed in August 2023, another complainant accused him of sexual misconduct at a villa in Maradu and during a film shoot in Ottapalam, where he allegedly promised her roles in films and membership in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in return for sexual favors.
Mukesh faces multiple charges, including sexual assault, outraging a woman’s modesty, and making offensive gestures. If found guilty, he could face severe penalties, including up to 10 years of imprisonment or even life imprisonment, along with fines.
A Special Investigation Team, led by senior women police officers, is investigating sexual harassment allegations against several Malayalam cinema actors, with IG G Sparjan Kumar overseeing the inquiry, and ADGP H Venkitesh supervising the broader investigation.
