Supreme Court to hear actor Siddique's pre-arrest bail plea today in rape case

Kochi: The Supreme Court is set to review actor Siddique's pre-arrest bail plea in a rape case filed by the Thiruvananthapuram Museum police. The veteran Malayalam actor turned to the apex court after the Kerala High Court denied him anticipatory bail on September 24. Currently, Siddique remains absconding, as confirmed by the Special Investigation Team. Despite intensified efforts by the police, including the issuance of a lookout notice, there are no leads on his whereabouts.

As actor Siddique continues to evade arrest, the complainant has made serious accusations against the police. She criticized the police, claiming they assisted Siddique in escaping to a hideout after the High Court denied his bail plea. The female actor from Thiruvananthapuram also alleged that Siddique tampered with and destroyed key electronic evidence related to the case.

The government plans to inform the Supreme Court that granting bail to an influential figure like Siddique could endanger the complainant's life. It has been reported that the delay in filing the complaint will not impact the case. According to the state government, Siddique has committed a serious offense. Senior lawyer Aishwarya Bhati will represent the government in the Supreme Court.

A bench comprising Justice Bela Madhurya Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma has listed Siddique's bail plea as the 62nd case for hearing on Monday.

Mukul Rohtagi, former solicitor general, will represent Siddique in the Supreme Court, while Vrinda Grover will appear for the complainant.

The Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram registered a rape case against Siddique after receiving a complaint from a young female actor. She filed the complaint following the release of the Hema Committee report, alleging that Siddique raped her at the Mascot Hotel in the capital city on January 28, 2016, after a preview show of a movie. With the court having rejected Siddique's bail plea, the Special Investigation Team is expected to arrest and interrogate him in connection with the case.

• Siddique
• Supreme Court